West Seattle, Washington
28 Thursday
(Photo by David Rosen from SlickPix Photography)
Though the solstice isn’t till June 21, you have to agree today felt like summer. Finally. So even with the clouds that moved in by the end of ReFRESH Southwest (our coverage is here and here), this was the perfect sunset. (The forecast still suggests the return of rain tomorrow.)
West Seattle Soccer Club players at Hughes Playfield in Sunrise Heights got to meet a pro this afternoon – that’s Seattle Sounders FC defender Zach Scott and son Kalei, who visited as WSSC’s spring season wrapped up. (WSSC’s Tim McMonigle previewed the visit and fall registration – which starts June 1 – in this WSB report on Saturday.) Also from this afternoon:
That’s part of the mini-bazaar set up inside the West Seattle Eagles‘ HQ in The Junction, for the season’s first big Pencil Me In For Kids‘ fundraiser. Creative Memories, Party Lites and Tupperware purveyors all were on hand, donating part of their proceeds to the nonprofit that raises money to buy school supplies for kids in need. Find out more about PMIFK here. Meantime, one last Sunday afternoon view:
If you were outside – perhaps at Seattle Summer Streets on Alki, as we were (here’s our afternoon coverage) – you probably got caught in the 4 pm-ish drizzle. It was a classic sun-rain mix, and as shown in Max’s photo, it brought along a rainbow. (The forecast for next week looks fairly mixed, so far, too.)
(Video by David Rosen from SlickPix Photography)
That video’s from just after Wednesday night’s 11 pm-ish high tide – the classic Constellation Park waves-collide-with-seawall shots. And it illustrates the fact that the wind didn’t quite die down when forecasters had expected it to – they’ve now extended the wind advisory till 4 am.
Update from last night’s forecast: From now till midnight, our area is under a “wind advisory.” The forecast says gusts up to 45 mph are possible – as are thunderstorms, as rain moves in. 2:04 PM UPDATE: The rain has begun and the wind is starting to pick up too. 12:10 AM UPDATE: Wind advisory now extended till 4 am.
A “special weather statement” is in effect (read it here) – bottom line, it’s going to get windy again, with gusts up to 45 mph predicted for tomorrow night, after a breezy day. Here’s the full forecast. Meteorologist Cliff Mass calls it “a serious storm” and breaks it down bigtime here – but also points out the worst of it will be on the seacoast.
Two of the talented photographers who share their work with WSB from time to time have scenes to share this morning: Top, David Hutchinson caught Mount Rainier at sunset, from Jack Block Park, through the Port of Seattle cranes; next, Long Nguyen caught one of this week’s storm formations from the air over the Kent Valley:
Looks like few clouds will be in sight during West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day today – forecast says sunny, highs in the 60s.
Thanks to everyone who sent photos of last night’s unusual sunset cloud formation over the Olympics. These four photos show how it evolved – above and immediately below are photos from Bruce; third photo from Brian P; fourth photo from Brian H.
Tried to look up the technical name for this kind of cloud – failed to find it. Anyone?
The latest forecast update from the National Weather Service verifies that things should keep calming down after a windy Monday. But there’s still some cleanup ahead – Sha’ari shares that photo of the tree blocking part of the Longfellow Creek path in North Delridge, between Findlay and Brandon (map). Meantime, we went back to the sidewalk outside Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) as city crews took down the tree that came loose earlier in the day:
Here’s our earlier report on that particular episode of tree trouble.
The National Weather Service has lifted the wind advisory, though it’s still windy, with gusts possible to 40 mph tonight, along with showers and possible thunderstorms (here’s the newest forecast). There’s also a new round of tree trouble: In the past few hours, as our video shows, the weather has apparently destabilized a tree in the 6400 block of California SW, where the sidewalk work was done in front of Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor). As our video also shows, a city inspector was there when we were a short time ago, and is assessing; Feedback co-owner Matt Johnson tells WSB the big crack at the tree’s base wasn’t there when he last looked at 2 pm. 5:19 PM UPDATE: We’re told the city will be back to remove the tree tonight. Meantime, it’s a temporary no-parking zone:
6:49 PM UPDATE: And they’re taking it down now:
(Scroll down for the newest info/photos)
(WSB photo added 9:15 am, trees across 48th SW)
ORIGINAL 7:35 AM REPORT: First report of notable weather-related trouble; Metro just sent an alert that the 37 and 53 bus lines are rerouted because of “an incident” at 48th SW/SW Eddy. Checked with Seattle Police – they have word of trees down on 48th SW at SW Holly, which is also affecting car traffic – not sure yet exactly where the detours are, but avoid that area. Here’s the reroute alert from Metro:
Routes 37 & 53 are rerouted due to an incident on 48th SW near SW Eddy St. Use the stop north of SW Graham St or the stop north of Atlas Pl SW.
This is between Seaview and Lowman Beach; here’s a map. 9:25 AM UPDATE: From the scene – 48th SW is closed from SW Eddy at the top of the hill, to the bottom where it meets Lincoln Park Way and Beach Drive. We also received this photo with another perspective on the blocked road, as a school bus (they had to reroute too) faced the mess:
We also got a note about the wind tearing away more of the plastic sheeting around the scaffolding on the 35th/Myrtle water tower that’s been getting painted. Here’s how it looked as of a few minutes ago:
10:05 AM UPDATE: Just checked with SDOT – Marybeth Turner tells us the urban-forestry crew estimates 48th will be cleared/reopened no later than 11:30 am. 1:21 PM: Kris notes in comments that the road has reopened; also, Metro has confirmed Routes 37 and 53 are now back to normal. 2:04 PM: Jody adds this via Facebook: “”A good section of the sidewalk on the east side of the street is closed though for anyone walking in that area.””
The National Weather Service has a wind advisory in effect for our area, 11 tonight through 7 tomorrow night. See it here. We could get gusts as high as 50 mph. (Coincidentally, the NWS website notes that today is the start of Severe Weather Awareness Week.)
A couple days ago, the weather talk for the next couple days had to do with potentially strong wind. A different four-letter word has emerged in the latest forecast – maybe a bit of snow. The newly updated city forecast says higher hills may see a bit of wet snow tomorrow night and possibly showers Friday morning (and over 600 feet – which rules out even the city’s highest point at the Myrtle water towers – tomorrow morning). Just another Seattle spring – be ready for anything!
With highlights on the WSB Easter page including three outdoor sunrise services – including the annual nondenominational one at Forest Lawn and the three UCC churches’ gathering on Alki Beach – you might be checking out the forecast tonight. Right now, it looks promising – a chance of morning showers, making way for a partly sunny afternoon, says the National Weather Service.
That’s a bit of video from Constellation Park/Richey Viewpoint south of Alki Point, favorite haunt – in weather like this – of TV crews and intrepid stormwatchers. We saw both represented while we were out, briefly, at dusk. Note the past/future driftwood in the surf – extra-dangerous, so don’t get close. (We were there about an hour ago; high tide was at 9:15, so the surf will pull back a bit in the hours ahead, with the next high tide at 7:44 am.) Meantime, on the forecasting front, the National Weather Service‘s wind advisory is now extended till midnight, and tomorrow morning looks showery/breezy (egg hunts are still on, though – schedule here). ADDED 1:05 AM: John Polnik shared this video from central Alki, where he says a small outage hit Phoenecia – we had driven through after 8 pm and saw the streetlights appear to be “strobing”:
City Light’s outages page did not show any West Seattle outages so whatever this was, was apparently small. SATURDAY NIGHT NOTE: Phoenecia was part of that micro-outage and tells the story on Facebook.
(Photo by Scott)
The wind has finally picked up, and the National Weather Service has extended its Wind Advisory till 9 pm:
STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH WILL PERSIST INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS BEFORE EASING. OCCASIONAL WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE ALSO EXPECTED… ESPECIALLY IN MORE EXPOSED AREAS.
The NWS hourly readings showed a gust of 51 mph at Alki Point at 3 pm. So far no reports of outages or other major problems in West Seattle – here’s the page to watch for power problems. Next high tide, for wave-watchers, isn’t till 9:15 pm. ADDED 4:16 PM: An advisory from Seattle Parks, related to the rain rather than the wind:
Seattle Parks and Recreation has closed all grass athletic fields on Friday, April 2, and Saturday, April 3, due to the muddy condition of the fields caused by rain. All baseball and softball games and practices have been cancelled for today and tomorrow.
Synthetic fields remain open, and games on those fields will continue as normal. The closures will not affect spring egg hunts.
For more information about field closures, please call Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Citywide Athletics Rain-out Hotline at (206) 233-0055.
(The egg hunt list, by the way, is on the WSB Easter page.) ADDED 6:52 PM: Still no reports of major trouble. But the wind-whipped waves remain the big attraction – TV crews have been out at Constellation Park, and out on the water, the view was even wilder, as you can see in this photo Kevin McClintic took from the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth ferry:
10:02 PM UPDATE: Cliff Mass says it will NOT be like the Hanukkah ’06 and Inauguration Day ’93 storms
That’s part of the “Significant Storm Briefing” presented today by the National Weather Service – you can see it online. The most important message for our area – a High Wind Watch is in effect for Friday morning and afternoon, with gusts possible past 50 mph in the afternoon (read the High Wind Watch here; and here’s the city forecast). You may know all the preparation suggestions by heart, but just in case you don’t, read on for a news release from Seattle City Light:Read More
Deborah sent that photo with the explanation:
Just wanted to let you know that we are aware that our Tollycraft 26 broke loose from its mooring in the high winds this morning and ended up on the beach just south of Lincoln Park. We are working on a solution to get it back in the water.
We’re checking to see if they’ve had any luck yet. Meanwhile, the latest forecast says it’ll continue to be blustery into the evening, still with a chance of thunderstorms. 12:21 PM UPDATE: Deborah says they’re hoping to be able to get it back in the water with the next high tide at 5:30 pm.
7:52 PM UPDATE: With Coast Guard Vessel Assist help, the boat is back out at sea again (warning, video as choppy as the sea):
As forecasters warned, heavy rain is now teaming with gusty wind. The forecast revision from early this morning now says gusts could pass 40 mph; they were at 33 mph when the 5 am reading was taken at Alki Point (K91S on this hourly table). There’s a chance of thunderstorms later this morning, too. We’ll be watching as usual for any reports of power, road or other problems; let us know if you have info to share.
It’s not an advisory, “watch” or warning yet, but it’s a Special Weather Statement – a storm system on the way is likely to make things pretty windy and wet around here tonight. Here’s what forecasters are expecting. 10:55 AM: The “special weather statement” expired but here’s the latest forecast – wind possible past 30 mph at times tonight – not horrific, but we’ve lost power with less, so just a heads-up.
Typical Seattle spring weather – sun, rain, sun, rain … ice pellets? We were off the peninsula for a little while this afternoon but got word from JayDee about (at least some part of) West Seattle getting pelted. Then, the rainbow, as photographed by Leaf from the north end of California SW. The forecast says things will be unsettled through tomorrow – then a steadier dose of sunshine is due in.
Thanks to Chas Redmond for sharing his iPhone photo of the last sunset of winter, viewed from Alki; spring shows up at 10:32 am our time tomorrow morning. The National Weather Service forecast says it’ll be a nice day (good thing, given all the outdoor excitement, from Alki Street Scramble to Delridge Playground spruce-up and beyond) – but by this time tomorrow, the clouds might be back. As for a quick recap of our winter that wasn’t very wintry:
*Icy temperatures for a while in early December (who could forget the frozen fountains? yes, this was before the solstice, but December is unofficially winter)
*Wind trouble in mid-January
*Snow showers in early March
*And last Tuesday’s windburst/power outage
Plus, lots of rainbows! Browse our West Seattle weather coverage archives (newest to oldest).
Incredible sliver moon tonight, just before moonset – didn’t have the camera handy but luckily Christopher Boffoli caught this image a few hours ago, from 33rd SW and Hinds (map). Meantime, Mike Scharer sent his Hamilton Viewpoint shot of last night’s rainbow, too beautiful not to share even though it’s semi-old news by now:
More sunshine due tomorrow, by the way.
(scroll down for the latest updates)
(sailboat under tow between northern Lincoln Park and Vashon – that’s what drew the helicopters)
2:22 PM: Just went out a few minutes ago in Upper Fauntleroy. The forecast had called for wind up to 25 mph and it’s been kicking up for about the past half-hour. So far we have outage reports from Morgan Junction and Westwood (35th/Trenton), too. California/Fauntleroy intersection is out but it looks like it doesn’t go further north of the California/Graham intersection. Morgan Junction businesses appear to be out. We also have word of a sailboat that’s run aground and is getting battered by wind north of Lincoln Park, toward the south end of Beach Drive. (added 3:51, Rod’s photo of the sailboat – at left with the tug, with Coast Guard to the right)
Meantime, we’re also monitoring power reports via Facebook and Twitter – north West Seattle seems OK so far.
2:36 PM UPDATE: More than 2,700 customers affected, according to City Light (boundaries listed here, though they’re not always precise). And an update on the sailboat – it’s being towed in. We’ll have visuals in a bit. Other areas affected by the outage, according to WSB’er reports, include High Point. If you’re wondering about the helicopter(s) – they were/are checking out the sailboat situation.
2:48 PM UPDATE: Just talked to Scott Thomsen in City Light’s media department. Ours is the latest wind-related outage – some elsewhere in the city have been fixable fast, when crews determine where a wire went down or a tree went into a wire – this one hasn’t been traced to the source just yet so it’s too soon to say exactly how long it’ll take for the power to come back. (A concurrent and similarly sized outage in Greenwood was fixed within minutes, according to City Light’s latest online update.)
2:58 PM UPDATE: FYI if you’re not in West Seattle – at work off the peninsula, etc. – the wind has died way down, though the power’s still out (again, it seems to be Morgan Junction/Upper Fauntleroy/High Point/part of Westwood/Gatewood, etc. – no reports of outages on the northern half of the peninsula).
3:10 PM: Power just came back on in High Point, according to both David Ginsberg via Twitter and also what we saw while passing through 35th/Morgan. Still out here at HQ. Again, still seems that north West Seattle was relatively unscathed – a flicker here and there, and Gretchen at Square One Books (WSB sponsor) in Jefferson Square said they also lost it briefly – plus, in comments, Angel says all’s well in the Puget Ridge area. Morgan Junction business area — at least around the intersection — is BACK ON, says Angela, who’s at Tully’s (wi-fi too, she reports).
3:56 PM: Hour and a half now, for those of us still out. Gatewood/south Morgan Junction/Upper Fauntleroy/part of Westwood still the main spots – Beveridge Place (the actual street/neighborhood by the pub of the same name) says they’re still out. Also note that some intersections are still affected, like 35th/Holden, so if you come this way, drive carefully. No formal update from City Light yet but we’re about to call and check in to see if they’ve traced the longrunning part of the outage. As for the weather, Rhonda from The Mortgage Porter (WSB sponsor) points out that a wind advisory remains in effect for the city till 6 pm – though things have been quiet here for quite some time now.
4:20 PM: Two hours out now. Just checked back with City Light’s Scott Thomsen – he says 1,650 customers are still without power in the West Seattle area – crews are working along Gatewood Road and “bringing people on behind them” as they go along – no formal ETA for everybody, though. Also note that any “official” boundaries you see listed anywhere, even on the City Light site, are only approximations – that’s why the firsthand reports that you provide are so important – and we do our best to go out and verify, too. They do not have equipment enabling a precise read on exactly who is out where – that’s technology they’re working on for the future.
5:02 PM: Our power briefly flickered back on – then off. At the same time a few minutes ago, High Point went off again – then, we’re told, back on. Meantime, King County Wastewater Treatment reveals that Murray Pump Station at Lowman Beach lost power and overflowed – see that story here. And the sun’s out. We’re checking now on major intersections without power – 35th/Thistle, for starters.
5:40 PM: We’re back! How about you?
6:30 PM: City Light confirms “all but a few” are back. They’re blaming the outage on “part of a tree.”
| 2 COMMENTS