Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts

Reader reports: icy roads

Friday, December 23, 2022

5:26am  The hills in the area of 24th NW and 201st NW are super slick. Studded tires didn’t help.
--Rebekah







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Irons Brothers: Secure your home for the winter cold

Photo by Bruce Hill
Winter tips from Irons Brothers Construction Design-Build

While snow or extreme cold may not be frequent for us in the Pacific Northwest, when we experience even moderate snow falls or brief cold snaps during the winter, these temperatures can take a big toll on your home.

Winter weather can also knock out heat, power and other services to your home, sometimes for several consecutive days.

Here are some tips from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help you make sure your home is the best shelter possible for you and your family during the colder months that have just begun for us.
  • Ensure you are keeping out outside air and moisture. Insulate walls and attics, caulk and weather-strip doors and windows, and install storm windows.
  • Clear rain gutters so they don’t fill with water that could freeze and cause damage to the roof due to the added weight.
  • Trim tree branches that could potentially fall on your home during a storm. Hiring a professional is strongly advised, especially if any branches are near power lines.
  • Have your heating equipment and chimney cleaned and inspected every year. Ensure there are no openings in the chimney bricks or mortar or flashing.
  • Insulate water pipes with foam wrap or similar products to help prevent them from freezing.
  • Make sure all your fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside, and the vent openings are clear of debris and snow.
  • Learn how to shut off your main water valve in case your pipes do freeze and burst.
  • Hire a contractor to check the structural integrity of your roof to sustain the weight of accumulated snow or water.
During the winter, many people use alternate heating and power sources. But doing so can increase the risk of electric shock, house fire or carbon monoxide poisoning if the necessary safety precautions are not taken:
  • Keep fire extinguishers around the home, and make sure all family members know how to use them.
  • Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal burning device inside your home, garage, basement, crawl space or any partially enclosed area. And do not place the unit near a door, window or vent where carbon monoxide could seep indoors.
  • Space heaters should only be placed on a level surface and away from heavy foot traffic when in use, especially if pets or small children are nearby. It’s best to have space heaters that automatically turn off when a room reaches the desired temperature or in the event it is tipped over.
We hope these small lessons will help you in being safe and smart this winter season. Stay warm and safe!



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City of Shoreline Winter Weather update 12/22/2022 2:30pm

Thursday, December 22, 2022

Boeing Creek Park photo copyright Tom Wear
City of Shoreline Winter Weather update REVISED - Thursday 12/22 - 2:30pm Update
  • Holiday Break Camps at Spartan Recreation Center are CANCELLED for Friday, December 23.
  • Spartan Recreation Center and Shoreline City Hall will both delay opening until 10:00am Friday December 23. 
  • Depending on conditions Friday morning, these facilities may close all together.
Conditions forecast

Cold temperatures and wind chills will impact the area overnight and there is a strong chance of widespread freezing rain overnight through the Friday morning commute. 

Avoid or delay travel if possible. 

If you must travel, check road and transit conditions before beginning your trip and prepare for possible delays.

What is freezing rain?

Freezing rain is liquid precipitation that freezes on contact with cold surfaces as it enters a shallower layer of temperatures at or below 32 degrees F near the surface. 

This creates a dangerous coating of ice on roads, walkways, trees, and power lines.

With an accumulation of ice, there is a possibility of tree limbs snapping and taking out power lines. Prepare for potential power outages.

For the latest weather forecast go to National Weather Service.

Stay Safe!
  • Live Wire Warning - Keep your distance from any downed lines and report them at 206-684-3000.
  • Darkened Intersections - Treat all darkened intersections as a four way stop and to be cautious of drivers who may not stop.
  • Apartments without Fire Alarms - Apartment buildings without power for long periods of time can lose their fire alarm systems. Conduct a fire watch to keep residents safe.
  • Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Do not use barbecue or other open flame sources in the home. The smoke from an open flame indoors can lead to death or injury from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Snow Removal

Shoreline crews have worked hard to clear primary and secondary routes and are prepping them with sand/deicer in anticipation of cold overnight temperatures causing ice. Reminder, plows only move to neighborhood streets after primary and secondary roads are clear. Depending on conditions, it could take several days before you see a plow on your street. 

Property Owner Responsibilities - Clear your sidewalks and driveways

Shoreline homeowners and business/property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice off driveways and sidewalks near their property, including the ridge of snow left along the edge of driveways by the snow plow. Please keep your sidewalks clear for pedestrians.
  • If snow is removed from your property, make sure the snow is not placed in the right of way.
  • Right of way and catch basins must also be kept clear to accommodate melting snow and to avoid pooling water.
  • More information about stormwater drains can be found on the Adopt-A-Drain page.
Road Closures

Depending on conditions, the City may post road closure signs on some of our known danger spots. You can see where those are on the Snow Event Closure Map. The City may also need to close other roads due to conditions.

Current road closures (additional closures may be added as conditions are assessed):
  • All roads on the Snow Event Closure Map are currently closed.
Facility closures and/or hours of operations and meeting notices:

We are monitoring weather and road conditions. City facility hours might be impacted if conditions warrant late opening or early closure.
  • City Hall
    • Delayed opening until 10:00am Friday December 23. Depending on conditions Friday morning, City facilities may close all together.
  • Spartan Recreation Center
    • Delayed opening until 10:00am Friday December 23. Depending on conditions Friday morning, City facilities may close all together.
  • Richmond Highlands Recreation Center
    • Open. Depending on conditions Friday morning, City facilities may be closed.
  • Shoreline Parks
    • Richmond Beach Saltwater Park is closed to vehicle traffic.
    • Our other parks are open; however, we encourage visitors to use caution. Ice on trees from freezing rain can cause tree branches to snap and trees to fall. Please stay out from under trees and avoid forested park areas during the current weather conditions.
Power Outages

The Seattle City Light website allows you to check the status of a power outage. Contact Seattle City Light for more information at (206) 684-7000.
  • Never use a generator, charcoal, or gas grill in an enclosed space, including your home and garage. These emit carbon monoxide, which is a poisonous gas you cannot see or smell but can kill a person in minutes. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious threat especially when families look for alternate ways to heat their homes during a power outage.
  • Never touch or go near any downed power lines.
  • Remember to treat all intersections as a 4-way stop when traffic lights are out.
Power outage safety and carbon monoxide poisoning prevention information

Public Transit

Some King County Metro and Community Transit buses are running on snow reroutes. Please check your route before traveling. For more information, visit Metro's Service Advisories website or Community Transit's Rider Alerts.

Storm drains and localized flooding

As the snow melts, street drains and culverts can plug as chunks of snow and slush move towards the drainage inlets. If this occurs there may be localized flooding as the water ponds or bypasses plugged drains. 

City maintenance crews will be clearing drainage inlets and culverts but may not be able to catch them all in advance of a problem. You can help prevent problems in your area - if you see snow plugging a drain or culvert consider clearing it and putting the snow uphill of the drain where it can melt without causing problems.

Locate storm drains near your house

A similar situation can arise on roofs with snow that may plug roof drains or scuppers as it melts. If possible, monitor your roof and maintain the roof drains. Some structures, such as out buildings and car ports, are at a higher risk of collapse under wet snow, so please use caution.

Winter Storm Resources


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Shoreline road closure map and other winter storm resources

Check the map for current conditions

Depending on conditions, the City of Shoreline may post road closure signs on some of our known danger spots. You can see where those are on the Snow Event Closure Map

Additional closures may be added as conditions are assessed.

Winter Storm Resources


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WeatherWatcher: Winter storm watch Thursday afternoon through Friday evening

 
Freezing rain event in February 2021
Photo by Carl Dinse
The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Storm Watch in effect for Thursday afternoon into Friday evening. This is for our next winter storm that is expected to move into the area before we thaw. A messy wintery transition is expected to happen Friday morning through afternoon.

  • First Act: Accumulating snow (1-3 inches)
  • Second Act: Accumulating freezing rain ( 0.0 to 0.25 inches )
  • Gradual warm up starting Friday morning - moving above freezing Friday evening.
  • Potential flooding rains over the weekend, with potential for wind.

Temperatures Wednesday night and Thursday night are expected to dive into the teens to low 20's. An approaching Pacific storm is moving in from the southwest. This storm has sub-tropical origins and is very warm, but we have very cold air in place before and as it arrives.

Precipitation is expected to start around Thursday afternoon in the 1pm to 3pm time frame, starting mainly as light snow for the most part. We could see an additional 1-3 inches of snow accumulation before freezing rain begins mixing in during the overnight hours into Friday. 

The precipitation that arrives Thursday afternoon is expected to continue non-stop through Saturday and beyond. Around 1am to 3am Friday morning the atmosphere is expected to warm up enough for that snow to change over to rain or mix with rain. 

Temperatures at the ground level though are expected to remain below freezing, which means freezing rain. Around a quarter of an inch of freezing rain accumulation is possible from Friday morning through Friday evening.

This kind of event can put a lot of weight on trees and power lines, and it is expected that scattered power outages will occur. Travel will also be extremely difficult as roads become glazed in ice on top of new snowfall.

Once we get through Friday temperatures are expected to warm to the upper 40's or low 50's. It'll feel very nice compared to the temperatures we've had for all of December so far. With the warm air comes a lot of rain. 

We have a large atmospheric river approaching that could bring us 4-6 inches of rain through the holiday weekend. Urban flooding and stream flooding will be our next concerns as everything melts and the heavy rains arrive.

There is a lot of uncertainty in our forecast for this transition over to rain and for coming events through the weekend. Snow or freezing rain could linger several hours longer than forecasted. 

Another item in the forecast is potential for a wind event. The general trend for the remainder of the month looks to be an active and seasonal pattern. A lot of rain, and potential for one or several wind events on the horizon.


For current weather conditions please visit www.shorelineweather.com



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Check before you go out

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Photo courtesy Sky Nursery
Leena's closed early on Tuesday. So did Sky Nursery. So did a lot of businesses in the face of this weather. 

Check before you try to go anywhere to see if they are open and how long they think they will stay open.

By the way, Wednesday is the first day of winter.



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Winter update: City of Shoreline

Winter weather update 12/20/2022 10am:
ROADS: Snow crews moved to 12 hours shifts Monday night and are currently plowing primary routes. Once the snow stops and primary routes are cleared, they will move to secondary routes. Only after primary and secondary roads are clear will we start plowing neighborhood streets. See plow maps at update link below.

SIDEWALKS: Please clear your sidewalks! Shoreline homeowners and business/property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice off driveways and sidewalks near their property. Help our pedestrians stay safe!

ROAD CLOSURES: Road conditions are being assessed and some of our known danger spots are already closed. See more at update below.

CITY FACILITIES and PARKS: Camp Shoreline has been cancelled for today, but Spartan remains open for drop-in use. Richmond Highlands Rec Center is closed and teen programming is cancelled. City Hall is open. Richmond Beach Saltwater Park is closed to vehicles.

  • Spartan Recreation Center closed at 5:00pm. today, Tuesday, December 20.
  • All of the roads on the Snow Event Road Closure Map are currently closed.
  • Road crews will work to apply as much salt and sand where necessary on primary and secondary routes before the temperatures drop and wet spots freeze over. 
    • If you do not need to be on the roads, please stay home! Ice on roadways will pose a significant danger tonight and tomorrow morning. 
    • If you do drive, go slow, leave extra room for others, and be aware of your surroundings.
  • We expect Holiday Break Camps to be open tomorrow. However, if that changes, we will notify families via email.


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WeatherWatcher: Snowy and cold week ahead

Monday, December 19, 2022

 
Snow covered trees on December 18, 2022
Photo by Carl Dinse
Some light snow arrived Sunday, December 18, 2022 just a couple hours later than it did 32 years ago, which was a far bigger storm

As of 6pm Sunday evening about an inch of snow had accumulated at the Richmond Beach station. 

Around the same time, the lower reaches of Lake Forest Park were bare, with rain falling. Higher up, in central Shoreline, there was also about an inch accumulation with snow still falling.

Doppler Radar Sunday December 18, 2022 at 10:29pm
National Weather Service in Seattle, Wa

As of Sunday evening, at 10:29pm an active convergence zone centered over the King / Snohomish County line continues. Another 1-2 inches of snow is possible before the activity dies down by the early morning hours. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing between Sunday evening and Thursday. There might be a brief warm up Tuesday afternoon into the mid-30's with a storm.

Forecast: Monday should be a cloudy, cold, but mostly dry day. A renewed slight chance of snow showers may show up late Monday night into Tuesday morning. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing, reaching around 30-31°F for a high temperature, with lows in the lower to mid 20's.

Tuesday's storm: A storm west off the Pacific Ocean is expected to move in, with the center of the storm track just south of Seattle. Some models have it coming in south of Olympia. Either way, everyone on the north side of the storm track is expected to remain all snow and below freezing during this event. 

There's a slight chance some warmer air might mix in up to even Everett for a very short time during the Tuesday storm which might make the snow heavier and wet, maybe with a few rain drops mixed in at times. This warm period is expected to be very short lived, maybe about an hour or so late in the afternoon.

Total snow accumulations from Tuesday's storm could be in the range of 3-10 inches depending on how far south this storm tracks. If it comes in closer to Seattle it could be higher amounts for those of us north of downtown Seattle.

Lows Tuesday night through Thursday night are expected to be in the low 20's, we could even reach the teens Wednesday morning. 

Wednesday and beyond: We get a bit of a break Wednesday, but not from the cold. Any snow we receive will stick around for the remainder of the week. Another storm rolls in Thursday afternoon into Friday. At this time models think a transition will occur Friday with milder temperatures and rain with a possible atmospheric river though the holiday weekend.

Bottom line: Be prepared for a full week of winter conditions including accumulated snow on the ground. Next weekend at this time shows a shift to some above freezing rain but that could easily change over the next few days. We could be intermittently in and out of winter weather for the next several weeks through January.

There is a huge arctic air mass hanging out in Western Canada now that traveled over from Siberia last week. It is very cold, saturating the temperature charts at -58°F in places and even showing up on infrared satellites. 

The arctic air mass is expected to be in Western Canada through next weekend and beyond so any storm that tracks south of Seattle could pull some of that air down into the Puget Sound region and keep us on the below freezing side with snow instead of rain. 


For current weather conditions visit www.shorelineweather.com

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Brief snowfall Saturday morning

Sunday, December 18, 2022

There was a brief snowfall Saturday morning. It was a strange, dark morning. I kept waiting for the sun to come up but it was still dark at noon. There was pale, gray light and finally some feeble rays of sun. 

The snow was just enough to speckle the grass and then it stopped.

WeatherWatcher Carl Dinse says "we are in for a cold week ahead with below freezing temps until at least Thursday night. 

"There are opportunities for snow on Tuesday and Thursday, and maybe a little on Sunday evening, Most likely it will be just a dusting unless a convergence zone fires up - then maybe 4 inches."

--Diane Hettrick



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Winter Driving: A tale of two tire types

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Winter traction tires use a rubber blend that stays
flexible, almost sticky, when the temperatures
drop below freezing. Photo courtesy WSDOT
Just a couple of months ago, we were basking in a weirdly warm early fall, with the thermometer flirting with 80 degrees. 

Who had winter traction tires on their mind? Not this guy, because too hot!

What a difference four weeks makes.

With overnight temperatures below freezing, WSDOT crews have been spraying anti-icer on highway travel lanes that can get slick from overnight frost or potential lowland snow. 

So, a couple of weeks ago I performed my annual ritual and mounted dedicated winter rubber on our rigs for safer winter driving.

Winter traction tires use a rubber blend that stays flexible, almost sticky, when temperatures drop below freezing. 

Between the special rubber and aggressive tread pattern, winter tires stick to a slick road surface so you have more control over how your vehicle stops, turns and goes than you would with standard tires. 

Even my impractical Mazda Miata convertible can get around fine with four good winter traction tires.

If you need to cross mountain passes this winter, dedicated winter traction tires are the way to go (studded tires are legal now through March 31). They’re the only way to cross a mountain pass when weather forces WSDOT to declare TRACTION TIRES REQUIRED, short of chains.

Please prepare for winter travel. You don’t want to be the driver who causes a blocking spinout on the pass when traction tires are advised or required. We’re all in this together. Be patient. Be courteous. Be smart. That will help keep traffic flowing.

--Article by the anonymous WSDOT Snohomish County traffic guy


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WeatherWatcher: Tuesday Storm report, more potential snow on the way

Thursday, December 1, 2022

 
Tree and power lines down on 25th Ave NE near NE 178th St.
Photo by Amy Beth Nolte

I'm going to start out by saying in my 35+ years of living memory in Shoreline, this is by far the most tree damage I've ever witnessed from any given storm. Locally, this far exceeds the major convergence zone snowstorm of December 18, 1990, or the Inauguration Day windstorm of January 1993. The 1993 storm had power out in my neighborhood for over 3 days, the 1990 storm knocked power out for almost 24 hours in my neighborhood.

This past Tuesday's storm, that same neighborhood was without power for 41 hours. Neighbors had set up a large fire pit on the street side for everyone to come warm up at, and to help dispose of some of the fallen tree matter. We have piles and piles of tree branches cleaned off the road and pushed to the sides just to get the street passable. Snow accumulations in yards were covered under a solid accumulation of tree matter.

Power lines down near the North Ridge weather station.
Photo by Raymond Dinse
There were several downed utility lines that had to be coiled up and set aside out of the traffic lanes. Many partially fallen or split trees in the Echo Lake neighborhood leaning on utility wires. Driveways blocked by fallen debris or power lines was common sight throughout the areas I drove through.

As the storm was wrapping up early Wednesday morning, most of the area was without power. There was about 5 to 7 inches of heavy wet snow on trees and the ground. 45mph winds had pushed a lot of that snow into heavy snow drifts on the southeast sides of trees and any other exposed objects.

Winds combined with the unusually wet and heavy snow is what lead to the massive tree damage in the area. Temperatures particularly in the atmosphere above us were warm enough that snow was intermittently mixing with rain. Since the air near the surface was near or below freezing all that moisture in any form ended up clinging to everything and freezing once it landed.

Shoreline ended up being very much at the transition point of this storm system. Doppler radar indicated rain just south of 145th Street in Seattle and heavy snow north into Shoreline. The rainfall equivalent was nearly 1 inch of rain in this storm. Later in the evening the rain in north Seattle transitioned over to snow as the cold front pushed south.

City Light power outage map at 1:20 am November 30th


As you can see from the outage map, most of the highland areas of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park were without power during the height of the storm. There are still a lot of broken tree limbs caught up in the tree canopy that may be coming down in future storms. Once the tree limbs settle, I think we'll see less power outages for a while as this storm has pretty much pruned out all the weak branches in our forest.

Tree and power line damage.
Photo by Raymond Dinse

Forecast: We have another storm system working its way down the Pacific coast from the northwest. Models have been all over the place on what to expect from this system. Some show a rain/snow mix, most are showing snow accumulations of 1-5 inches. There is much uncertainty in the forecasts.

Given how the other system went, I'm leaning towards the snowy version for this forecast. We could see rain and snow mixed here and there, but likely we will get some light to moderate snow accumulations out of this one as well. 

Timing wise, it'll be like Tuesday, light snow, or rain/snow mixed could start up late Friday morning to early afternoon. The heavier stuff is expected Friday evening after around 4pm or so. Snow levels are expected to hover around 200-500 feet during the warmer parts of the day and could drop all the way down to sea level in the overnight hours.

There are no winter weather advisories, watches, or warning currently. In general, for the longer-range forecast, we're looking at this cool to cold pattern to continue through possibly the end of next week. A few spots here and there of rain and thawing returning to rain/snow mix or snow. 


For current weather conditions visit www.shorelineweather.com




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City of Shoreline: Winter Weather Update - 11/30/2022 4:00 p.m.

Winter Weather Update - 11/30/2022 4:00 p.m.
Post Date: 11/30/2022 3:15 pm

Conditions forecast 

There is still a chance for some more snow today and tomorrow. The National Weather Service has a winter advisory issued until 4:00 p.m. Thursday. The combination of heavy, wet snow and many trees with leaves still on them increases the potential for downed trees and power outages. DO NOT try to clear branches from lines or go near any downed power lines. Call Seattle City Light at 206-684-3000 or 206-684-7400 to report downed lines or call 911 to address any situation where a downed line might cause a dangerous situation. For the latest weather forecast go to National Weather Service.

What to do when the power goes out

Debris

The combination of heavy, wet snow and many trees with leaves still on them has caused a lot of limbs to break off and some trees to topple over. Shoreline crews have been moving throughout the city to clear the debris from the roads and areas where Seattle City Light crews need to work to restore power. Once the storm event has passed, crews will go back and pick-up and chip the debris. Due to the significant amount of debris across the city, this could take several weeks to complete. 

Power Outages

The Seattle City Light website allows you to check the status of a power outage. Contact Seattle City Light for more information at (206) 684-7000.

  • If outside, do not touch or go near any downed power lines. 
  • If inside, never use a generator, charcoal, or gas grill in an enclosed space, including your home and garage. These emit carbon monoxide, which is a poisonous gas you cannot see or smell but can kill a person in minutes. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious threat especially when families look for alternate ways to heat their homes during a power outage. 
  • Remember to treat all intersections as a 4-way stop when traffic lights are out.

Power outage safety and carbon monoxide poisoning prevention information

Snow Removal 

Shoreline crews plow primary routes first. They will continue to do this as long as it snows. Once the snow stops and primary routes are cleared, they will move to secondary routes. Only after primary and secondary roads are clear will we start plowing neighborhood streets. Depending on conditions, it could take several days before you see a plow on your street. 

Please stay off the roads if you can to give crews a chance to clear them and treat them if possible. 

primary snow removal routes

secondary snow removal routes

For more information: Snow and Ice Control Plan.

Property Owner Responsibilities

  • Shoreline homeowners and business/property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice off driveways and sidewalks near their property, including the ridge of snow left along the edge of driveways by the snow plow.
  • If snow is removed from your property, make sure the snow is not placed in the right of way.
  • Right of way and catch basins must also be kept clear to accommodate melting snow and to avoid pooling water.
  • More information about stormwater drains can be found on the Adopt-A-Drain page.

Road Closures

Depending on conditions, the City may post road closure signs on some of our known danger spots. You can see where those are on the Snow Event Closure Map. The City may also need to close other roads due to conditions. 

Facility closures and/or hours of operations and meeting notices:

Spartan Recreation Center

  • Open - regular hours

Richmond Highlands Recreation Center

  • Open - regular programming

Shoreline Parks

  • Parks are open; however, we encourage visitors to use caution. Wet, heavy snow can cause tree branches to snap and trees to fall. Please stay out from under trees and avoid forested park areas during the current weather conditions.

Shoreline Emergency Severe Weather Shelter

  • Had to close Thursday night, November 30 because St. Dunstan's had no power. People seeking shelter were provided Lyft coupons to go to shelters that are open.  Activation will be determined on a daily basis. Call the shelter hotline at 206-801-2797 for activation status. Shelter information

Public Transit

Some King County Metro and Community Transit routes have been rerouted or canceled. For more information, visit Metro's Service Advisories website or Community Transit's Rider Alerts.

Garbage, Recycling, and Food Scrap Collection

Due to current road conditions, Recology was not able to collect compost carts for all customers today. If your compost was missed, please leave your cart out for collection. Recology expects to collect remaining compost carts this week if road conditions allow. 

Check Recology.com for the latest updates on service or contact them at shoreline@recology.com or 206-763-4444.

Storm drains and localized flooding

As the snow melts, street drains and culverts can plug as chunks of snow and slush move towards the drainage inlets. If this occurs there may be localized flooding as the water ponds or bypasses plugged drains. City maintenance crews will be clearing drainage inlets and culverts but may not be able to catch them all in advance of a problem. You can help prevent problems in your area - if you see snow plugging a drain or culvert consider clearing it and putting the snow uphill of the drain where it can melt without causing problems.

Locate storm drains near your house

A similar situation can arise on roofs with snow that may plug roof drains or scuppers as it melts. If possible, monitor your roof and maintain the roof drains. Some structures, such as out buildings and car ports, are at a higher risk of collapse under wet snow, so please use caution.

Winter Storm Resources

Shoreline StormReady
Seattle City Light Outage Map
Power Outage Safety and carbon monoxide poisoning prevention information
Recology Cleanscapes service updates
Metro Transit snow routing alerts
Community Transit
NOAA Weather Updates 



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WeatherWatcher: Winter Storm Warning in effect until 11 AM Wednesday morning

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

 
Seattle City Light Outage Map at 10:40 PM PST

About 3778 City Light customers in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park are without power as of 10:40 PM PST. Shoreline Area News headquarters is now without internet because of the storm. Regular Shoreline Area News will resume once utilities are restored. The Echo Lake / North Ridge weather station is also offline as a result of a power outage.

The National Weather Service in Seattle at 10:24 PM PST has issued a Winter Storm Warning in effect for Seattle and vicinity which includes Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. An additional 3 inches of snow is possible overnight into Wednesday morning. The Winter Storm Warning expires at 11 AM Wednesday.

The Wind Advisory also continues to remain in effect until 7 AM Wednesday morning, gusty winds up to 45 mph are possible. More power outages are likely through the overnight hours into Wednesday morning.

As of 10:40 PM PST the cold front is moving south through Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. Heavy wet snow at times is expected as the cold front moves through. In the wake of the cold front a Puget Sound Convergence zone is expected to develop probably starting around Everett at first and then drifting south through Shoreline. 

The Convergence zone will produce mostly snow at these temperatures, locally heavy snow in spots. A warmup to rain or above freezing is still expected tomorrow afternoon but the warmup will be short lived. 

Another round of snow showers is possible into Wednesday evening with another inch or so of accumulation expected. Snow accumulations can locally total up to 6 inches by the end of the night Wednesday, even with the warmup in the afternoon.

It's going to be a rough week for winter weather, stay safe out there.


For current weather conditions and real time updates visit www.shorelineweather.com




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WeatherWatcher: Winter Weather Advisory issued 1pm Tuesday to 10am Wednesday

Monday, November 28, 2022

 
The kind of snow to expect in Shoreline Tuesday evening.
Photo by Carl Dinse

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Greater Seattle area, which includes Shoreline and Lake Forest Park. The advisory is in effect from 1pm Tuesday afternoon until 10am Wednesday morning.

Snow should start flying sometime between 11am and 1pm Tuesday. 1 to 3 inches of snow is possible Tuesday evening into the late night hours.  Current forecasts for Shoreline call for the snow to change over to rain at around 11pm Tuesday night. However, there is a lot of uncertainty in the models, and snow could continue longer or change over to rain sooner. 

There is a winter storm watch in effect for our neighbors in the north for all of Snohomish County. 4 to 8 inches of snow is possible there before a change over to rain, especially on the higher hills.

As I mentioned in my last article, we are sitting on the margin of rain or snow all week. The type of storm coming in Tuesday afternoon is not a typical snow producer but due to all the cold air that is moving in overnight into Tuesday morning, it will start everything as snow. 

Strong south winds are expected with Tuesday's storm bringing ocean air into the area which in turn is expected to warm up temperatures for a while Wednesday morning and afternoon. Winds are expected to be gusting to around 35mph. 

Up to one inch of rain is expected during the warm period of the day. More cold air filters into the area Wednesday evening for a change back to a wintery mix as this storm leaves the area.

The high temperature on Tuesday is expected to be 35°F, late in the evening just before midnight. We will spend most of Tuesday below the freezing mark. The high temperature on Wednesday is expected to be 41°F, but only for about 2-3 hours.

Another potential snow maker is possible Friday morning, but I'm still watching how that forecast develops over the next couple of days.


For current weather conditions visit www.shorelineweather.com



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WeatherWatcher: Snow level flirting with the lowlands all week

Sunday, November 27, 2022

Clouds and precipitation over Puget Sound
Photo by Frank Kleyn

The photo is an impressive capture by Frank Kleyn of some convergence zone action over Puget Sound. At the north end of that cloud is a nice column of precipitation reaching the ground.

Cold and Snow potential:

Forecast models have been painting a picture since last Wednesday of the potential for several arctic waves to move through this coming week. There is still a lot of uncertainty, especially for mid- and late-week but expect the snow level to fluctuate between sea level and 1,000 feet all week. 

Plenty of showers are expected, as well as a cold front moving in through Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

There is a winter weather advisory issued for western Snohomish county, including Woodway, Edmonds, Lynnwood and Everett. Shoreline might be snagged into a little of that fun as well. 

The winter advisory is in effect from 10pm Sunday evening until 10am Monday morning. Some snow showers are possible, and there could be some spotty accumulation of a dusting to an inch or so in some neighborhoods.

An active convergence zone is hanging out in Snohomish and north King counties overnight into Monday morning. Heavier showers could temporarily bring the snow level down to the surface and produce a small wet accumulation. Things should warm above freezing Monday as the sun rises and takes care of any frozen stuff left over.

Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning is expected to be mostly sunny and clear. Look for it to be breezy with winds gusting to 30mph and temperatures near 40°F for a high, and lows in the 20's. The next event arrives Tuesday afternoon into the evening, with winds increasing as the storm approaches.

Tuesday-Wednesday potential for snow:

Tuesday evening south winds are expected to increase, gusting to 30mph initially and increasing to 40mph late into Tuesday night. Rain or snow is likely with a snow level starting around 400 feet (most of the higher parts of Shoreline and Lake Forest Park). 

A few inches of snow accumulation are possible, but it's not certain with this event. Current high-resolution forecasts from the UW WRF GFS model show snowfall of around 4-6 inches in the Shoreline and Lake Forest Park area, but this is not accumulated on-the-ground snow. A lot of that snowfall will likely melt.

Wednesday it is expected that we warm up and transition to all rain for the day, but rain will taper off to showers, with winds still breezy through the day. Snow levels will still be hovering near 500 feet so it's marginal whether we will actually see snow on the ground.

Remainder of the week and into the weekend:

For Wednesday night through the weekend, the chance of rain or snow showers continues in the forecast. There are hints of another storm on Friday but for now they're backing off and calling it just showers likely. Thursday night into Friday could be our coldest window, with snow showers forecasted for Friday morning and a snow level at sea level.

Bottom line:

This is a week of uncertainty, and things could change rapidly. My best advice is to be prepared to deal with winter weather this week, especially before Tuesday evening. We could be dealing with the wintry mix weather for more than a week. A slight change in a storm track or strength could make all the difference in a big snow event or a mild rain event. 

Be sure to keep checking back on our webpage for updates in the forecast. I will try to keep my twitter feed updated as well on my weather station webpage if things change with short notice.


For current weather conditions visit www.shorelineweather.com




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Water over I-5 on Monday

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

 
I-5 northbound at Mercer. WSDOT webcam

After the wind, the rain.

Northbound I-5 traffic ran into an unexpected slowdown on Monday, November 7, 2022 at Mercer as drivers had to navigate significant water on the freeway lanes.

Then at 7pm the left southbound lane just past Northgate had to be closed because of water over the roadway.

Crews removing logs from under the US 2 trestle bridge. Photo courtesy WSDOT

Meanwhile, in Snohomish county, which still had 17,500 customers without power overnight into Tuesday, WSDOT crews were out Monday morning removing logs and debris from underneath the US 2 trestle bridge over the Snohomish River and Ebey Slough.

"We have to remove the wooden debris so it does not damage our infrastructure."



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Bothell Way closed between 165th and 170th for power pole repairs

Saturday, November 5, 2022

At 10:30pm Friday, SR522 Bothell Way was shut down in both directions between NE 165th St and NE 170th St in Lake Forest Park for power pole damage that occurred during the windstorm. 

The road was still closed at 3:15am. LFP Police will post updates when that changes.  

Thank you for your patience and please drive safely.



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South County got the same wind blast

 
10:48pm November 4, 2022

South County got the same wind blast we did, with results not quite as bad. The circles show the individual incidents and the number of customers affected. If you are just glancing at the colors, yellow is low numbers, orange medium, and red represents 500 or more.

Snohomish County PUD divides their outage map into squares. If you click on each one it gives the details. In this case they are not trying to estimate when power will be restored.




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Wild wind and power outages

Friday, November 4, 2022

10:54pm Friday, November 4, 2022

A wild wind just swept through, knocking down trees and raining branches. Lights are flickering or just out. Lake Forest Park and Shoreline east of the freeway either have no power or are running on generators.

Seattle City Light has listed seven separate power outages north of NE 125th. The one in Seattle took out 4873 customers. In Shoreline / LFP it was 610, 83, 559, 1405, 1008, 1799 households out.

WeatherWatcher Carl Dinse reports a 40mph wind gust at his Northridge station. That's the one that sent my cat running for the basement as the trees threw branches and cones at my roof.

Unusually the wind appears to have skipped west Shoreline.

A tree is down on N 205th at Meridian.




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The sky on a blustery day

Sunday, October 30, 2022

 
Photo by Barbara Twaddell

Someone took a paintbrush to the sky on this blustery Thursday.

Photo by Barbara Twaddell

Then the wind blew in and scrambled the pattern.


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