West Seattle weather: Wind alert continues; early-morning power outage peaks at almost 9,000 customers
(TOPLINE: Power went out for thousands around 4:30 am; many got it back around 6; California reopened 8:10 am in north Junction after tree/line-down trouble; outage led to overflow at Murray Pump Station on Lowman Beach)
(WSB photo from California/Genesee, taken around 7:40 am just before crews finished fixing tree-downed lines)
WEATHER REPORT, 12:43 AM: Second straight windy night, and this time there’s an official alert to go with it – the National Weather Service has a wind advisory in effect until midnight Saturday night, with the possibility of gusts up to 45 mph at times. So charge your phone and anything else battery-powered, just in case.
FIRST OUTAGE REPORT, 4:40 AM: As commenters are noting, some have just lost power. If that includes you, please call City Light to be sure they know. So far, we have heard from people in Morgan Junction, Fauntleroy, Gatewood, Arbor Heights, Marine View Drive, The Arroyos, Vashon Island; here on the Gatewood/Upper Fauntleroy line, we’re OK.
4:47 AM: At least 4,750 out in West Seattle, according to one Arbor Heights resident who has already called SCL. Via Twitter, the utility says at least 28,000 are out systemwide, but that’s without West Seattle on their map yet.
4:58 AM: Fire crews are at the California/Frontenac transformer fire mentioned in comments, according to the 911 log. A commenter in the White Center area mentions power’s out where he is, too. Police are closing California between Dakota and Oregon north of The Junction (map) – apparently, per radio communications, a tree has taken down wires and a power pole.
5:10 AM: While the outage isn’t on City Light’s map, an update on their website does mention two separate outages totaling almost 9,000 customers (one home/business/school/etc. = one customer) in West Seattle and points south, as well as others elsewhere.
5:35 AM: Another tree reported down – 40th blocked, says e-mail, between Morgan and Fauntleroy (map), east Morgan Junction area. Thanks to the tipster for sending this photo:
Also, an update on the California SW road closure on the north side of The Junction – it’s reported between Genesee and Oregon.
6:04 AM: Commenters in Arbor Heights, (part of) Fauntleroy, The Arroyos report the power’s back on. Meantime, South Delridge seems to have joined the outage.
6:34 AM: Two hours since the outage began. Just got word from the King County Wastewater Treatment District that its pump stations both lost power and have mobile generators – noisy, they warn (if you can hear them over the roar of the wind!):
(WSB photo of portable generator, county van @ Murray [Lowman Beach], added 8:05 am)
A strong storm overnight may have caused power outages at King County’s Barton and Murray pump stations in West Seattle.
Crews responded early Saturday morning with mobile generators to restore power at the stations, which pump wastewater to the West Point Treatment Plant in Seattle. Employees will investigate whether the power outages led to wastewater overflows into Puget Sound.
If overflows occurred, King County will post public warning signs on the beaches, notify health and regulatory agencies, and sample water quality over the next several days.
7 AM: If you’re just waking up – some are still out of power; the City Light map has never fully reflected the WS outage in the past few hours, so don’t use it as a judge of where it’s out and where it’s not. If you wake up and find your power is out, DO call City Light to make sure they know – 206-684-7400. (added a few minutes later) You might also wake up to find trees/branches down. Just got word of another one:
Lisa says that’s the “top of a massive tree down in alley between 45th and 46th and Hill and Walker.” (map)
8:05 AM: Just back from a quick trip down California SW to The Junction. Everybody appears to have power – so your favorite coffee shop(s) are OK for your early-morning visits. The tree that came down between Oregon and Genesee was being sawed up; that section of road was still closed – let us know if you see it reopen; we’ll go back to check later, too. Also saw a City Light crew by the Solstice Park tennis courts in Fauntleroy.
8:15 AM: Per scanner, California is now reopening at the aforementioned spot. Wherever you are, go out and check for branches – we saw more than a few on some neighborhood roads during our recent jaunt.
8:57 AM: In south Morgan Junction, some lost power again. At least one business is affected – The Little Gym at California/Myrtle just reported via Facebook that it is without power. (Added: We just went down the hill to check, and the rest of that block, including Caffe Ladro, has power. Outages can be inconsistent that way!)
9:13 AM: Commenters in that general area and to the west say they’ve just been re-connected.
9:45 AM: King County says both Murray and Barton Pump Stations have their power back now, but they’ve confirmed there WAS an overflow at Murray – no details yet on how long/how much – so the beach will be posted as closed. Signs are also going up at Barton (north of Fauntleroy ferry dock) just in case.
2:02 PM: As chronicled in comments, some have since lost power – either again, or for the first time. City Light says it has only 250 people without power around its system, so if that includes you, please call to be sure they know – 206-684-7400.
WEST SEATTLE’S SECOND FOOTPRINT: The second “microhousing” – studio apartments clustered around shared kitchens/gathering spaces – complex to open in West Seattle apparently will carry the same brand as the first. This weekend, 3266 Avalon Way SW – the tall skinny building one door east of the 35th/Avalon 7-11 – appeared online as Footprint Avalon I (the 
In 
closed last summer when owner Fred Dau finally retired. He brought in an estate-sale expert to sell off its quirky contents, and
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