I had three things happening this week: a) a routine teeth cleaning, b) and open-house meet/eat/greet at my lawyer’s place, and c) an afternoon of activities at Sara & Mike’s place with multiple family and kids. (Mike’s family we first met in 1975. He is a grandson.)
Weather was the story in Washington this week. I had some wind – not much, and none of the flooding.
The mountain rains caused flooding in the Puget Sound Lowland. There’s a clue. Such storms occur about every 3 to 5 years. Urban growth means more hard surfaces, faster run-off, and higher peak water. Snoqualmie Falls was in the news, again. It has a drop of 268 feet, about 100 feet higher than the Horseshoe Falls at Niagara.
Winds to my north came down-slope off the Cascades, were funneled by a narrow valley and slammed into Washington’s false Bavarian Village of Leavenworth. The town was isolated for a couple of days until access from the east was achieved. US Hwy 2 through Stevens Pass remains closed until Monday or longer.
That wind continued east across the ridges. 13 miles north of me is Mission Peak, 6,730 feet elevation (4,500 ft higher than me). The weather station there recorded a 112 mph gust. From Wed at 10pm until Thursday at 10am the average wind speed was near 60 mph. I had an average of about 25 with a few gusts approaching 40.
Just up the road from me about 100 yards an old tree broke off. Thursday morning a crew with chainsaws and a chipper cleaned it up in less than half an hour. Fortunately, the electricity lines are on the opposite side of the road. I suspect one of the locals pulled the trunk off to the side before the highway department learned of it. Had a chainsaw been used I likely would have heard that.
The National Weather Service thinks I will get rain Monday and our standard wind that evening. Stronger winds and snow in the mountains north and northwest of me. As yet there is not serious cold in our forecast, unlike much of North America from Winnipeg to Nashville. Even today, Ellensburg is warmer than Atlanta.
Keeping Track
on the Naneum Fan
John