West Seattle, Washington

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West Seattle weather 2003 results

West Seattle Weather Watch: Wind kicks up, power goes out
March 16, 2010 2:22 pm
|      69 COMMENTS
 |   Utilities | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(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.”

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West Seattle Weather Watch: About the wind
March 12, 2010 9:56 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

It’s kicking up bigtime at WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy – the forecast does mention possible gusts up to 45 mph “midday” and this afternoon. (No advisories so far, though.) 10:54 AM: Just a quick Flip clip to let you know, it’s NOT Windpocalypse – just gusty from time to time:

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Video: West Seattle snow showers, March 2010 edition
March 8, 2010 12:32 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle video | West Seattle weather

Update: The snow that others had seen earlier didn’t reach WSB HQ till just now. No, it’s not heavy; no, it’s not sticking. But it’s something of a serious snow shower, at least here, so we’re capturing video for posterity. (As noted here over the weekend, we had this same type of light snow right about this time last year, too.) This is right in line with the midmorning forecast: “scattered rain and snow showers.” (Got pix or vid? We’ll be happy to add – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!) 1:11 PM UPDATE: Definitely not sticking, and intermittently mixed with rain, so no need to panic about getting home later, etc., at this point!

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West Seattle Weather Watch: “Scattered rain and snow showers”
March 8, 2010 10:16 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

That’s what the brand-new National Weather Service city forecast predicts for the “rest of today.” We’re hearing of snowflake sightings (not sticking) in some parts of West Seattle – though here at WSB HQ in Upper Fauntleroy, it’s suddenly sunny. 12:21 PM UPDATE: OK, *now* we have snow – light, but definitely snow.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: The s-word drops out of the forecast
March 7, 2010 1:47 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

While there seems to be no dispute that colder air and some precipitation are on the way, the city forecast no longer includes the word “snow” – nor does the “forecast discussion.” Should be a new forecast within a few hours, so we’ll keep an eye out.

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West Seattle weather: “Chance of snow” in the forecast – really!
March 6, 2010 5:03 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(March 7, 2009, photo by Pam from Nerd’s Eye View)
Didn’t believe it till we saw it in the National Weather Service city forecast – Monday night and Tuesday morning might bring some snow. Might not have been so double-take-worthy if not for the almost-summerish weather today – but flashing back to a year ago, we did have a snowy Saturday on March 7, 2009. Snow or not, it’s definitely supposed to be cooler and stormy early next week (as the “forecast discussion” elaborates).

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Go see the stars! West Seattle stargazing party planned tonight
March 6, 2010 3:53 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Just got word from Alice Enevoldsen that since it’s turned out to be such a beautiful, clear day, she’s going to be at Solstice Park tonight for anybody interested in stargazing. Full details on her Alice’s Astro Info site.

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West Seattle scenes: Downtown = the gold at rainbow’s end
March 2, 2010 8:19 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Two takes on the view of this evening’s rainbow over downtown, seen from West Seattle. First, Edgar from Captive Eye Media caught it from The Mount; next, Babs caught it from a spot further north on the peninsula:

ADDED 9:12 PM: And another rainbow view just in from Alki’s David Hutchinson – Lady Liberty in the glow:

Photos? Here’s how to share them – thanks!

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West Seattle scene: A night to reflect
February 25, 2010 11:06 pm
|      20 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Christopher Boffoli captured the beauty of downtown Seattle mirrored on the calm waters of Elliott Bay – maybe not for long, as rain is expected back soon.

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West Seattle weather: Somewhere under the rainbow
February 24, 2010 5:06 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle weather: Somewhere under the rainbow
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks for the rainbow photos! Anne from Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) and Mary from Service Dog Academy snapped this afternoon’s rainbow too – but, even with the window bar in the middle, the one above, from Frank Rutledge at Prudential NW Realty in Jefferson Square, came out the best – note “Hole Foods” and the Link crane also under/through the rainbow.

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More West Seattle weekend scenes: Sunshine-mania edition
February 21, 2010 10:31 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Pets | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather | Wildlife

It’s been ALL about the sunshine this weekend. From the hummingbird that JayDee caught in action at a feeder … to the Admiral tree in full bloom, photographed by Eric Bell from fridgefoto.biz:

…to West Seattle as seen from West Point (Magnolia/Discovery Park) by Chas Redmond, via iPhone:

and finally, indoors but in a bit of sun: Wes shared this scene:

Wes explains, “This is Cooper, a 4-year-old Brittney, and Maximillion, a 6-month-old Irish Setter who is Cooper’s new best friend.” For all those who love to nap on Sunday afternoons when possible, that pic seemed to say it all. (Thanks for the photos! Breaking news or just cool pix, share ’em any time)

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West Seattle scenes: Link crane, and other views from on high
February 1, 2010 11:11 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

We’ve mentioned it a couple times in the past week-plus – and now, the main event is under way. Thanks to Gregor for sharing that photo of the 118-foot construction crane going up at Harbor Properties‘ Link site along 38th between SW Alaska and Fauntleroy Way in The Triangle. We’ll check back on it later today. Meantime, over in The Junction business district, construction continues at TrueValue, which remains open during remodeling (“a face lift for a few weeks,” as its website describes the work):

Thanks to Karen for the photo. More morning sights: Not long after sunrise, an impressive fog bank drifted over the Sound:

Dave Gould shared that photo taken south of The Junction. One more eagle-eyed view – Alison spotted this bald eagle on a utility-pole perch near Denny International Middle School‘s playfield in Westwood:

Thanks so much to everyone who shares photos, news tips, and other updates – here are all the ways you can reach WSB 24/7.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Tree down in Lincoln Park
January 18, 2010 8:42 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle parks | West Seattle weather

Blustery night in West Seattle – no power outages reported here but Kimberley spotted this downed tree across the main Lincoln Park waterfront path early today. For more perspective on the location, here’s a wider shot – showing the picnic shelters on either side of the tree.

Per the latest forecast, the wind advisory’s still in effect a while longer this morning – though it’s certainly a lot calmer out there right now than it was around, oh, say, 3 am, when official hourly observations recorded 45 mph gusts at Alki Point. 12:33 PM UPDATE: Krista sends an even-more-recent photo of the tree:

City offices are closed today but we will check tomorrow on whether they’re coping with any other damage after this morning’s wind.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: High tide, gusty winds on the way
January 17, 2010 7:55 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Weather Watch: High tide, gusty winds on the way
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

West Seattle shore spots like the one along Beach Drive where we took that photo yesterday afternoon may get a bit dramatic tomorrow morning; Lula points out an “inland coastal flooding” advisory from the National Weather Service, as windy weather is scheduled to hit around the same time as high tide (just over 12 feet at 7:15 am, per this chart). The forecast says the advisory’s in effect 5-11 am, with south winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Rain woes require repairs @ Redline
January 11, 2010 5:24 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Triangle | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks to Courtney for the tip that Redline Music and Sports in The Triangle had some roof trouble because of the rain and was temporarily closed. We went over to check; owner Scott tells us some soggy drywall over the bar needed to be replaced. Workers are on the job now; they’re close to done with the repairs, and Redline expects to reopen for business around 9 tonight.

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West Seattle scene: This morning’s spectacular sunrise
January 7, 2010 11:47 am
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Twitter and Facebook were abuzz about this morning’s incredible pink-splashed sunrise, with folks sharing photos fast and furious. In case you missed them – this is the most beautiful West Seattle sunrise photo we’ve seen, tweeted by Scott from the peninsula’s southwestern shore. (Thanks also to Judy for offering a camphone pic.) Might be too cloudy tomorrow to see a similar sight again.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: One more sunny day
December 26, 2009 9:42 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Weather Watch: One more sunny day
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks to JayDee for the cloudless-sunset shot looking toward the Olympics. Newest forecast says we have one more sunny day ahead. Looking at New Year’s Eve, the new “forecast discussion” suggests rain starting “late” that night – how late, hard to tell till we get closer.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Solstice, sunset, maybe a little snow
December 21, 2009 6:07 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

The Winter Solstice is at 9:47 our time this morning; less than 7 hours later, you’re invited to join West Seattle astro-expert Alice Enevoldsen for winter solstice sunset-viewing at Solstice Park. Alice says on her Alice’s Astro Info website, “I’ll be there even if it is cloudy because sometimes the Sun peeks through just as it begins to set, but if it is driving rain or sleet I’m staying home with a hot cup of tea.” Anything could happen, says the latest “forecast discussion” – possibly some showers Monday night with snow. But if it’s fairly calm as sunset approaches, Alice’s site also explains (with a custom map) where to find Solstice Park. (Photo by Kevin McClintic, from Alice’s autumn-equinox event at the park.)

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West Seattle Weather Watch: No snow deja vu
December 14, 2009 4:28 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle Weather Watch: No snow deja vu
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

First, a flashback: After the first serious night of snow in December 2008, this WSB as-it-happened story from 12/14/08 chronicled (with photos) what we all woke up to on this day exactly one year ago. THIS year – sorry to disappoint snow fans — it wasn’t looking even remotely likely: The 4 am city-forecast update now no longer includes the word “snow”, and it’s not in evidence on the radar. (The city was apparently taking no chances, though – a salting/sanding-type truck just headed eastbound on Thistle from California.)

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Burn ban lifted; forecast & flurries
December 13, 2009 10:43 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency just announced it’s lifted the burn ban because “The current weather pattern has brought improved mixing and dispersion of fine particle pollution. As a result, air quality has improved sufficiently to allow lifting our Stage 2 burn ban.” Maybe that’ll mean a bonfire for the Don Armeni Christmas Ship stop at 7:10 tonight, as originally scheduled? Meantime, here’s the newest forecast from the National Weather Service, as of less than an hour ago:

REST OF TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. HIGHS IN THE 30S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE MID 20S TO LOWER 30S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

MONDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF RAIN OR SNOW…MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS NEAR 40. SOUTHWEST WIND TO 10 MPH BECOMING NORTHEAST IN THE AFTERNOON.

2:15 PM UPDATE: As commenters are noted, a few flakes have been seen – extremely light flurry where we are, with sunshine to boot. One more note – via Facebook, we’re told there WILL be a bonfire at the 7:10 pm Christmas Ship stop at Don Armeni tonight.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Maybe a snow “shower” later …
December 13, 2009 4:18 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

The latest forecast just came out and it’s still not calling for much chance of snow in Seattle, beyond maybe “showers” later. The “forecast discussion” explains why.

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Snow? Or no?
December 11, 2009 11:53 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Diane reports a snowplow sighting in the Admiral area, 37th/Hinds vicinity – despite the absence of snow! Of course, you know what they say about the value of an ounce of preparedness, given what was looming exactly a year ago. Checked back in our archives, and the forecast back then didn’t really predict all that snow, either. Doesn’t mean a waffly forecast now means Blizzard City, of course, but just in case you’re looking for reassurance, this is from tonight’s late National Weather Service “forecast discussion”:

SKAGIT AND ISLAND COUNTY PROBABLY HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF SGFNT SNOWFALL SUN AFTERNOON AND NITE…FOLLOWED BY WHATCOM AND SNOHOMISH COUNTY…WITH THE REST OF WRN WA AT LOW RISK

Famous forecaster Cliff Mass seems to concur, in this late-night update. He flatly states “nothing” Saturday for Seattle, which we’re happy to hear, recalling what happened on Christmas Ship Saturday night LAST year (here’s the flashback, video and all).

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West Seattle Weather Watch: Another icy night ahead
December 10, 2009 4:40 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

No, that’s not an interpretation of how upset people are down in Southern California since a cold snap plunged them into the … 30s. That’s a palm tree near Alki Point’s Constellation Park, next to a frozen-in-place fountain, photo shared by Lisa. The latest forecast? Here you go – still a possibility of snow starting tomorrow night – “light” snow, then followed by a mention of snow possibilities in every daypart through Monday. Meantime, tonight’s expected to go down into the teens yet again.

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