A major storm swept across the northwest United States, lashing the region with strong winds and rain, causing widespread power outages and felling trees that killed at least one person.
The Weather Prediction Center issued a risk of excessive precipitation through Friday and hurricane-force wind warnings were in effect at the strongest. atmospheric river – a large plume of moisture – that California and the Pacific Northwest saw this season overwhelmed the region. The storm system that began hitting Tuesday is considered a bomb cyclonewhich occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly.
National Weather Service Portland via AP
Falling trees hit littered homes and roads across northwest Washington state. In Lynnwood, Washington, a woman died Tuesday evening when a large tree fell on a homeless encampment, the South County Fire Department said in a statement on X. In Seattle, a tree fell on a vehicle , temporarily trapping someone inside, the Seattle Fire Department reported. . The agency later said the person was in stable condition.
“Trees are falling all over the city and falling on homes,” firefighters in Bellevue, about 10 miles east of Seattle, said on the social platform X. “If you can, go upstairs the lowest and stay away from windows. Do not go out if you can avoid it.
A Washington state fire department posted images on X of some of the damage its personnel suffered Wednesday morning:
Eastside Fire & Rescue via AP
As of Wednesday morning, more than 600,000 homes in Washington state were reported to be without power on PowerOutage.us. The number of reported outages had fluctuated wildly by Tuesday evening, likely in part as several weather and utility agencies struggled to report information about the storm due to internet outages and other technical problems. It was unclear whether this figure was accurate. More than 4,000 people lost power in Oregon and nearly 15,000 in California. Puget Sound Energy said in a statement early Wednesday morning that they have nearly half a million customers without power and are expecting a “multi-day outage.”
CBS Seattle affiliate KIRO-TV reports that Puget Sound Energy said in a statement early Wednesday morning that its nearly half a million customers without power should expect a “multi-day outage.”
As of 8 p.m., the maximum wind speed was in Canadian waters, where gusts of 101 mph were reported off Vancouver Island, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Along the Oregon Coast, there were wind gusts reaching 79 mph Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service in Medford, Ore., while a wind speed of 77 mph was recorded at Mount Rainier in Washington State.
The National Weather Service warned West Coast residents about the danger posed by trees during high winds, posting on X: “Stay safe by avoiding exterior rooms and windows and using caution when you are driving. »
In Northern California, flood and high wind watches were in effect, with up to 8 inches of rain forecast for parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, North Shore and Valley from Sacramento. Twelve-16 inches were forecast for far northern California and far southwest Oregon through Friday, according to the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center. Dangerous flash floods, landslides and debris flows were expected.
A winter storm watch was issued for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet, where 15 inches of snow was possible over two days. Wind gusts could exceed 75 mph in mountainous areas, forecasters said.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for parts of southwest Oregon through Friday evening, while high winds and rough seas disrupted a ferry route in northwest Oregon. Washington State between Port Townsend and Coupeville.
A blizzard warning has been issued for the majority of Washington state’s Cascades, including Mount Rainier National Park, with up to a foot of snow and wind gusts of up to 60 mph, according to the Seattle Weather Service. Crossing the passes could be difficult, if not impossible.
The Weather Prediction Center said heavy, wet snow would fall along the Cascades and far northern California. accumulating at rates of two to three inches per hour. This, combined with gusts up to 65 mph, could lead to whiteout/blizzard conditions and “nearly impossible travel at the pass,” the center said.
