West Seattle Wind Watch: Damage, power outages

(TOPLINE: Scroll down for ongoing updates … Wind advisory extended till 4 am …)

(Here’s what the City Light power-outage map looked like during outage’s peak around 7:32 pm – click for “live” version)
6:14 PM: As the wind picks up, hours after the National Weather Service issued a “wind advisory,” a few power outages have popped up in West Seattle, . Right now, Seattle City Light reports more than 100 homes out between spots in Arbor Heights, mostly centered around 28th SW between SW 98th and 100th, and Westwood – here’s the latest map (which may lag reality a bit, so keep us posted). We’ll be tracking that and any other storm-related news throughout the evening. (Thanks for the tips – 206-293-6302 or editor@westseattleblog.com any time.)

6:22 PM: Text says the signal is out at SW Trenton on busy 35th SW. We’re off to check on other traffic effects. (added) Confirmed Trenton/35th out – and 35th/Barton too.

6:47 PM: We checked Westwood Village; so far, it appears to be OK (a sign flickering here and there). We’ve been asked about Arbor Heights Elementary; it appears to be in the dark – though homes nearby are not. The updated “wind advisory” says strong wind is likely to continue till about 9 pm, and the advisory is set to expire at midnight. Meantime, City Light has about 600 customers out around the city, almost all in Westwood/Fauntlee Hills/Arbor Heights per their map and what we’re seeing, roaming that area. A few businesses too – like Gasco at 35th/Henderson – though as you can see on the left edge of the photo, the nearby streetlight still has power:

7:06 PM UPDATE: The City Light map now has a total of 1,300+ homes/businesses without power in West Seattle. We caught up with a crew just south of Westside School (WSB sponsor), which DOES have power:

7:30 PM UPDATE: We have a report that police are putting out flares by a “wires down” report that is on the 911 log as near 35th/100th in Arbor Heights – we’ll check that out shortly. City Light has now revised the number of customers out to just under 900.

8:17 PM UPDATE: Took a quick trip out to check on things – and that’s when the power came back on. Just a handful left now. The lights on 35th are all working again; businesses at Westwood and nearby are all on; Arbor Heights Elementary has power too.

10:20 PM UPDATE: As commenters are noting, the wind has kicked up again in a big way. One WSB’er says via Twitter that it’s torn off her patio roof in the High Point area. The National Weather Service’s latest advisory still says it’ll calm after midnight. No new power outages reported in the West Seattle area, though there’s a new one with a few hundred people out in Burien.

10:52 PM UPDATE: Kate and Mac both reported the barricade barrels on the westbound West Seattle Bridge had been blowing around – we just took the screengrab (above) from the SDOT camera, showing what appears to have been a brief detour so they could be picked up (the live camera is clear now).
11:29 PM UPDATE: Keva tipped us via Twitter to the damaged 7-11 sign on the south end of The Junction, in pieces on the sidewalk with a police guard nearby. Video (you can hear the wind):

12:26 AM UPDATE: As discussed in comments, the wind advisory is now extended till 4 am. There is a big new outage in City Light territory but outside the city limits, mostly in Burien but stretching up to part of White Center/Top Hat.

12:46 AM: A utility pole has come down on the west edge of The Junction, along Glenn Way, reports WSB contributor Katie Meyer, who saw it “crash down” – she took this photo:

53 Replies to "West Seattle Wind Watch: Damage, power outages"

  • Mark Ahlness January 24, 2012 (6:44 pm)

    Got a report that the power’s out at Arbor Heights Elementary on 104th

    • WSB January 24, 2012 (6:45 pm)

      Patrick just went by there and yes, it appears to be dark.

  • prax January 24, 2012 (6:48 pm)

    Light are on at the Southwest Library, and it looks like they are across the street as well (35th between Henderson and Barton).

  • Briggs January 24, 2012 (6:49 pm)

    We’re without power here on 34th/Henderson. City light says estimated restoration time is 1 am.

  • alicia January 24, 2012 (6:55 pm)

    The right side of 30th towards Barton is out. The houses across the street are fine!

  • reno1 January 24, 2012 (6:58 pm)

    Pretty spotty outages on Barton street west of 35th some have power some don’t. I’m one of the unlucky ones. Wind does seem to be getting stronger here.

  • happy January 24, 2012 (7:13 pm)

    No power at school? Woo-hoo! Oh, boy, the kids have fingers crossed that the power stays off at the school for tomorrow! = )

  • coffee January 24, 2012 (7:13 pm)

    We are still on just south of 106th and 28th ave sw

  • Walkabout Wolf January 24, 2012 (7:37 pm)

    I still have power at 100th and 33rd, but just down the hill to the East it’s a bit dark…

  • Dc January 24, 2012 (7:43 pm)

    Power was out at the fauntleroy children’s center at 6pm

  • rockyraccoon January 24, 2012 (7:44 pm)

    The Westwood liquor store closed early! Oh, the humanity!

  • LAP January 24, 2012 (7:53 pm)

    Several of the stores and food sources in WWVillage are without power. Taco Del Mar and the Pizza place next door are not able to serve clients. Target is open but having some issues with payment via debit cards…cash and credit cards work fine. McDonald’s is open and serving. Even though lights are on in some businesses, it appears they are not really open for business.

    • WSB January 24, 2012 (7:54 pm)

      Thanks, LAP and Rocky. It’s been about an hour since our run through there, and the wind certainly has just increased, again. Appreciate the field reports.

  • que January 24, 2012 (8:00 pm)

    the light at 35th and Trenton is back on and functioning.

  • Snow Daze January 24, 2012 (8:02 pm)

    Just left Target, and the lines were 15 – 20 deep. . .that’s some problem they’re having with the registers. I had to leave my cart due to time constraints. Also, people, remember, treat the now dark lights as four-way stops! I almost got t-boned at one thanks to another driver believing “lights out” means “go 50 mph” at 35th & Trenton.

  • Darren P January 24, 2012 (8:05 pm)

    Arbor Heights Elementarys power isn’t out. There are lights on.

    • WSB January 24, 2012 (8:26 pm)

      Darren – it was out for a while, but I just confirmed too, lights are on – the entire main outage (hopscotching from Arbor Heights to Westwood to Fauntlee) ended 8-ish (somewhere after I left the house around 7:54 to go take a second look) – as I noted in the main story above, just about everywhere has returned to normal (please advise if not – there might be a pocket here or there, but City Light has only 22 listed as out citywide now) – thanks! TR

  • jeff January 24, 2012 (8:06 pm)

    Not sure if directly weather related, but passed accident on offramp from 99 to the WS Bridge about 10 minutes ago, appears at least one car spun out and turned wrong way, doesn’t appear any serious injuries. You can get past the accident scene.

  • Tbird January 24, 2012 (8:22 pm)

    32nd n Thistle – still out.

  • hmmmm January 24, 2012 (8:25 pm)

    just drove by Arbor Heights School – POWER ON!! Sorry kiddos, the WAS off around 5:30ish

  • Kate K January 24, 2012 (9:17 pm)

    Wind is howling now – near PCC.

  • Gawdger January 24, 2012 (9:21 pm)

    K91S WS (Alki Point) hasn’t been reporting data for a few hours now…looks like the 10-11p hours could produce the strongest gusts per the NWS.

  • Robert January 24, 2012 (9:38 pm)

    If I were dictator, all gas stations would be required to have backup generators.

    Just saying.

  • Rachel January 24, 2012 (9:57 pm)

    We just had a gust in Highland Park that made both my husband and myself jump! I’m not sure I’ve ever heard this much wind at our house!

  • Kelly January 24, 2012 (10:00 pm)

    Weird. We’re at 32nd and Thistle and we’ve had no loss of power all evening (knock on wood)… Actually, this isn’t the first time that’s happened (except last time we were the ones without power). .
    The gusts sure have picked up. I think it’s time for me to shut down!

  • R January 24, 2012 (10:03 pm)

    Wind gusts at Lincoln Park area are crazy too!!

  • david January 24, 2012 (10:06 pm)

    Definitely among the strongest gusts I can recall in my ten years in WS. Little fanfare compared to other events though.

  • Fergie January 24, 2012 (10:08 pm)

    When is it supposed to stop? I have never heard or felt wind this hard before. Is it supposed to be like this all night?

  • Robert January 24, 2012 (10:11 pm)

    Had a 41 mph gust at 9:58 37th/Lander. (Max so far)

  • raincity January 24, 2012 (10:12 pm)

    These are the highest gusts this season – 51st and hudson. Not as strong as Dec 2006 storm though. Hang in there trees!

  • Windy January 24, 2012 (10:12 pm)

    2006 was a big windstorm here in WS!

  • blustery January 24, 2012 (10:15 pm)

    10 minutes ago saw 2 big blue flashes over vashon island, now it looks pretty dark over there, across the sound…

  • Optimistic January 24, 2012 (10:18 pm)

    My house is shaking and moaning……I am laying in bed listening and hoping the tree in our backyard stays rooted.
    (close to pcc)

  • kate January 24, 2012 (10:21 pm)

    I just went over the WS Bridge, westbound, and the orange barricade barrels are blowing around the road so be careful if you need to travel that route. Traffic through that area is slow as a result.

  • kumalavula January 24, 2012 (10:36 pm)

    it’s blowing’ so hard it ripped the screen door open and off kilter on the door frame! wild night in west seattle for sure! batten down all hatches!!!

  • argonautter January 24, 2012 (10:41 pm)

    You can follow live conditions from the Explorer West Middle School weather station at http://web.live.weatherbug.com/LiveObservations/2/BroadcasterObservations.aspx?zcode=Z6408&stat=STTL1&LID=LOMORE

  • Neighborly January 24, 2012 (11:14 pm)

    Is the power still out at the Fauntleroy Children’s center?

  • beth January 24, 2012 (11:27 pm)

    Our house is shaking and groaning like crazy in High Point.

  • Rebecca January 25, 2012 (12:02 am)

    We lost our power in North Burien about a half hour ago. Winds are still blowing like crazy.

  • Gawdger January 25, 2012 (12:05 am)

    NWS has extended the Wind Advisory until 4am WED.

  • Neighborly January 25, 2012 (12:07 am)

    OK, it’s midnight. Time to stop, not get stronger!

  • Kayzel January 25, 2012 (12:13 am)

    I have wind in my living room, also in High Point. Fierce.

  • Bloch List January 25, 2012 (12:29 am)

    The “if you want its” are the power poles which go out and shut off power to the neighborhood grids. Those are the ones Seattle City light should inspect.

  • mookie January 25, 2012 (12:38 am)

    Just watched a light pole come crashing down on Glenn Way SW, north of SW Oregon. Was outside at the time. Excitement! Gah.

  • jc January 25, 2012 (3:53 am)

    This thing is not winding down! -34th/Trenton/Henderson.

  • boy January 25, 2012 (8:44 am)

    Hey jeff , I passed the same wreck. It was not weather related. It was idiot related. Sharp turn wet road to fast Idiot behind the wheel and wala smashed car

  • GAnative January 25, 2012 (9:19 am)

    Looks like sign at the Swedish Clinic on California suffered some damage. Part of it was lying on the sidewalk this morning.

  • Jim P. January 25, 2012 (11:32 am)

    Does anyone have any idea what the max gusts were? That was an incredible wild night. Our place is built pretty solid and sort of tucjed in among taller buildings but we shook and the wind howled like I’ve never hear outside of a bad movie.

  • happywalker January 25, 2012 (12:03 pm)

    We sit up on the ridge (13th and Thistle) in Highland Park. Lived here over 25 years,NEVER heard the wind come through like that. We have a 65ft, 80 yr old locust tree in the back yard. It was really swaying. No branches or limbs down. Scarry

  • Block Watch January 25, 2012 (12:38 pm)

    There are power poles called “if you want its” that are dotted all over West Seattle. These poles shut off entire grids and are ususally the ones that get worked on first.

  • Robert January 25, 2012 (8:02 pm)

    Jim P,

    I have a David Weather Station on my roof and I had a max speed before midnight of 41 (at 9:58) and a gust of 37 at 4:20 AM.

Sorry, comment time is over.