Winter weather

Suddenly there's a meadow in the ocean with 'flowers' everywhere

Robert Krulwich — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:23:29 +0000

It was three, maybe four o'clock in the morning when he first saw them. Grad student Jeff Bowman was on the deck of a ship; he and a University of Washington biology team were on their way back from the North Pole. It was cold outside, the temperature had just dropped, and as the dawn broke, he could see a few, then more, then even more of these little flowery things, growing on the frozen sea.

"I was absolutely astounded," he says. They were little protrusions of ice, delicate, like snowflakes. They began growing in the dry, cold air "like a meadow spreading off in all directions.

Heavy snow falling in mountains; tips for safe holiday travel

KPLU and The Associated Press — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:18:28 +0000

Forecasters say the latest storm moving across Washington will leave up to 2 feet of new snow in the Cascades by Thursday morning.

Travelers planning on heading across the mountain passes this weekend should plan accordingly. Traction tires or chains are being advised, and in some cases may be required.

The WSDOT offers these tips to protect yourself and your passengers while driving in snowy/icy conditions:

Winter weather advisory for Washington Cascades

The Associated Press — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:06:50 +0000

The National Weather Service has downgraded a winter weather warning for the Washington Cascades Tuesday night to an advisory.

Heavy rain sets off landslides around region

Tom Banse — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:08:58 +0000

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Heavy rains and high winds are making it hard to get around parts of western Washington and northwest Oregon this afternoon. Flood watches and warnings are in effect across a wide area of the Northwest. At least half a dozen mudslides have blocked highways and rail lines since this morning .

The freight train of storms pummeling the Northwest has saturated soils. Some places are not getting enough time between downpours for the water to drain off.

Winter weather hits region hard: heavy rains, mudslides, street flooding

The Associated Press and KPLU News Staff — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 22:09:46 +0000

Forecasters say the wet and windy weather with mountain snow will continue this week in Washington, but there may be a lull on Thanksgiving Day. The current deluge so far has resulted in a few mudslides, street flooding and a state trooper’s car being smashed.

The National Weather Service says a series of Pacific storms are aiming to hit the Northwest every day or two.

Getting around

The morning commute around Seattle was tough, but the commute home today may be a bit easier.

Washington snowpack 137 percent of average

The Associated Press — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:55:40 +0000

Plenty of snow in the mountains means it should be a good year for the water supply in Washington.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service says the mountain snowpack as of April 1 — when it typically peaks — is 137 percent of average.

Snow forecast for parts of Washington

The Associated Press and KPLU News Staff — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:09:18 +0000

A winter storm is bringing another shot of snow to parts of Washington.

The National Weather Service says a Pacific frontal system will hit the coast and northwest interior Tuesday with gusty winds and rain in most of Western Washington.

Northwest back country ripe for more avalanches

Jessica Robinson — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:36:59 +0000

The conditions that led to fatal avalanches in the Washington Cascades could get worse this week. Three expert skiers died near Stevens Pass on Sunday and a snowboarder died in a separate avalanche near Snoqualmie.

Mark Moore is the director of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center. He says a crystalline layer of frost prevented new snow from bonding with the bottom layers. He estimates that led to hundreds if not thousands of avalanches in remote areas over the weekend.

Inland NW seeing a more recognizable winter

Jessica Robinson — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:34:10 +0000

While cities west of the Cascades recover from the ice storm, flooding and mudslides, the Inland Northwest is getting more of what residents have been expecting for a while: a wintry white layer of snow. And forecasters say there's another round on the way.

Update: Snow falling, but Cliff Mass says it's almost over

Jake Ellison — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:22:00 +0000

Cliff Mass, KPLU weather expert and University of Washington professor, says the snow storm we woke up to is almost out of gas:

"... amazingly the worst is almost over. In fact, it should really be all over for most of the western side of the Cascades by 1 PM," he said.

Snow? Probably yes, for most of western Washington

Keith Seinfeld — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:23:14 +0000

But not too much.

"It's not going to be the big snow-storm," says KPLU weather expert, and UW professor, Cliff Mass.

The areas most likely to get a couple inches of snow are the so-called "convergence zone," between north Seattle and Everett, and in the Bellingham area. For everyone else, Mass says it will be "hit and miss" depending on so many factors that it's hard to generalize.

Second La Nina in a row brings rain but does that mean floods?

Charla Bear — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:30:36 +0000

Climate experts have predicted a colder and wetter than normal winter on the way for Washington, thanks to a second year in a row of La Nina’s effects.

While some people in the area will be happy about a surge in showers, a lot more are probably disappointed or worried.

Mudslides follow heavy rains, hit Pierce County roads

KPLU News Staff — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:32:15 +0000

Heavy rains brought mudslides that covered roads in Pierce County early this morning, including a slide over East Jovita Boulevard in Edgewood. More rain is expected today, along with gusting winds that could topple trees in already soaked earth, according to KOMO News:

Forecasting models put this storm about on par with the one that blew through on March 2 -- enough to perhaps cause a few power outages and knock over a few trees, but we are not expecting a major windstorm.

In Tacoma, a slide brought a tree down over one lane of Schuster Parkway. There were no injuries or cars involved with that slide, and traffic is getting by the area, according to KIRO-TV.

The peak winds are expected this afternoon in the Puget Sound lowlands, with gusts as high as 50 miles per hour in the late afternoon and early evening hours, according to the National Weather Service.

Avalanche, heavy snow close I-90 across Snoqualmie Pass for hours

The Associated Press and KPLU News Staff — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:09:52 +0000

Updated 9: 21 p.m.

Avalanche danger, heavy snowfall and spun-out vehicles have kept Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass closed for hours as a winter storm buffets the Washington Cascades. Eastbound lanes reopened late this afternoon, and westbound lanes later Monday evening.

Transportation officials closed the pass late Monday morning due to eight inches of snow that had fallen since 6 a.m., plus poor visibility and spinouts.

We're comfortable driving in the snow? Really, Pemco?

KPLU News Staff — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:23:25 +0000

This statement might surprise you. It sure surprised us.

Pemco Insurance makes the claim, based on a survey it did of Washington drivers. Most polled (58%) say they feel 'comfortable' behind the wheel when driving on snowy roads.