Following back-to-back storms that pounded the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday, two people were murdered close to Seattle, and over 500,000 homes and businesses were left without power.
Tuesday night and Wednesday morning saw severe winds, rain, snow, falling trees, and toppled power lines throughout western Washington. The system was dubbed a “bomb cyclone” due to the abrupt, fast decrease in pressure that added to its power.
Much of eastern Washington was buried in snow, freezing rain, and blizzard conditions on Wednesday, and locals were advised to travel with caution. According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, blizzard conditions forced the closure of a major roadway, Interstate 5 southbound, in southern Oregon to the California border.
According to South County Fire, which handles emergency services in Snohomish County, north of Seattle, a woman in her 50s was killed Tuesday at approximately 7 p.m. PT when a tree collapsed at a homeless encampment in Lynnwood.
A homeowner of Bellevue, a Seattle suburb, in the Bridle Trails area called about the same time to report that his wife had been killed when a tree crashed into his home, according to firefighters.
According to the Bellevue Fire Department, “the caller was transported to safety until conditions near the home improved.” “We are thinking of the family, and community, which we know are impacted by this death.”
Seattle’s KING, an NBC affiliate, showed pictures of cars that had been hit by falling trees. A public bus was struck, but the driver was unharmed and there were no passengers on board. Winds were severe enough to be categorized as hurricane-strength in several locations.
We will be posting the areas until the lights come on because there are so many downed trees and electrical wires. Remain at home and be careful! On Tuesday evening, Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescues said on X.
Everywhere in the city, trees are falling and landing on houses. Go to the lowest floor and avoid windows if at all possible. If at all possible, stay indoors, the Bellevue fire department said on X.
The strong winds even caused damage to the National Weather Service station in Seattle.
The tracking website poweroutage.us reports that over 700,000 households and businesses in the state were without electricity. Although there had been some progress by late Wednesday afternoon, over 300,000 electrical consumers were still without power.
Two people were rescued by firefighters near Puget Sound when a tree fell on their trailer, trapping them. According to Puget Sound Fire, one person was rescued promptly, but the second person took an hour to rescue. For treatment, both were brought to a hospital.
According to the weather service, the atmospheric river event that is currently over California is expected to generate “extreme rainfall totals” and last until the end of the week.
Rainfall of 10 to 15 inches is expected to reach the inland mountain ranges and the northern California coast, “likely to increase the threat of life-threatening flash flooding, rock slides, and debris flows,” according to the agency.
The atmospheric river impact will be exacerbated by a separate storm that is expected to form and intensify quickly off the Northwest coast on Friday.
On Wednesday, the effects were already noticeable. Authorities said that parts of Interstate 5 were blocked due to snow, that chains were needed on Interstate 80 in the Sierra Nevada, that power outages occurred in Northern California near the Oregon border, and that when Interstate 5 reopened, traffic was light.
According to the region’s National Weather Service, a frontal boundary of the atmospheric river had “nearly stalled out” in the North Bay of the San Francisco area on Wednesday night, and heavy rain was expected to persist into Friday.
Parts of Marin County had received over 3 inches of rain in a 24-hour period by Wednesday night, while one place in Napa County had received over 5 inches, according to the agency.
Strong winds have also been seen in Canada; on Tuesday night, gusts of 101 mph—which are equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane—were reported on Vancouver Island.
The atmospheric effect is getting stronger due to climate change, experts have warned. The possibility of warmer, wetter, and more severe atmospheric river storms with higher flood risks and expenses is increased by a warmer atmosphere’s capacity to retain more moisture.
Note: Thank you for visiting our website! We strive to keep you informed with the latest updates based on expected timelines, although please note that we are not affiliated with any official bodies. Our team is committed to ensuring accuracy and transparency in our reporting, verifying all information before publication. We aim to bring you reliable news, and if you have any questions or concerns about our content, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!