WEST SEATTLE WEATHER: Storm updates, PM edition – power outages for thousands; trees down
(SCROLL DOWN for updates … City Light outage map HERE … Power outage tips HERE)
(Added: Late afternoon video from Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook on Beach Drive)
3:02 PM: After the midday lull, the storm is back at full force, with rain and wind. Since the homeward commute is getting close, we’ll be tracking weather, traffic, and transit closely for the next few hours; the National Weather Service expects the wind to continue through “early this evening.” Updates to come.
4:07 PM: 25-customer power outage in north Morgan Junction, first one in West Seattle this storm. We have been out checking the wind and waves on Beach Drive. If you live there, you might find your trash/recycling bin(s) in the street.
Thanks to the texter who just shared that photo of tree trouble at Alki Playfield.
4:36 PM: Beware of deep road puddling – Harbor Avenue a block north of the bridge and Beach Drive by Weather Watch Park (video above) are two spots we’ve been through so far. (Added) Also, the bottom of the SW Genesee hill between Avalon and Delridge. And there’s a 35-customer power outage south of Schmitz Park.
4:47 PM: Add a Delridge outage south of Thistle. Not mapped yet.
(Photo tweeted by @skwash)
Remember, if stoplights are out, it’s an all-ways stop!
5:04 PM: Thanks for all the updates in comments. We have been stuck in outage traffic on Delridge. Can confirm the outage starts just south of Juneau.
5:24 PM: Back at HQ. Sylvan/Morgan was out until just east of 35th; then on 35th, heading southbound, power went out at Othello. Citywide, more than 64,000 customers are out of power; the big West Seattle outage has at least 3,500 out and commenters are mentioning multiple transformer fires. Other smaller outages too – the Beach Drive area now has a 78-customer outage. Again, as we just experienced firsthand, driving/riding is very slow going and precarious right now – if you can stay where you are for a while, that would be a good thing.
Thanks to Christine for that photo of the tree that fell across north Marine View Drive.
5:46 PM: The Vashon Water Taxi is done for the night, a few runs early, because of “weather-related issues.” But West Seattle IS still running … Also, JRR says in comments that tonight’s Friends of Roxhill Elementary meeting is moved to TOMORROW (Tuesday) because there’s no power at the school. If you have any cancellations/postponements/closures for tonight, please let us know, whether by comments or our other messaging channels, thanks!
Seattle Public Library confirms what a commenter mentioned, that the Southwest Branch has closed early because of the outage. Westwood Village is also reported to be out – we have our crew heading over to check if it’s the entire center.
6:18 PM: Just reported the Westwood Village assessment here. Staples appears to be the biggest store without power:
But it’s NOT a centerwide outage. … UPDATES ON OTHER OUTAGES: Beach Drive is now up to 113 customers, with a midnight restoration estimate (remember that the “estimates” are really just guesses, per City Light, which still has 61,000+ customers out citywide in 138 separate outages) … Three more road notes: Our crew that went to Westwood says Barton has a serious puddle near the crossing from the RapidRide stop; SDOT says a tree is down near California Way/California Lane … and we’re just hearing a dispatch for a tree reported down near 13th and Roxbury. Speaking of Roxbury:
“No frozen foods, but the liquor section is open!” Theresa adds.
6:51 PM: When you get your power back, please let us know via comments or our hotline (text/call 206-293-6302) – we’re watching the City Light map but it doesn’t retain info on when outages end. Meantime, though most of north West Seattle still has power, it has other wind trouble – Mike sent this from 48th/Oregon:
And near California/Hill, a power pole is leaning, and the sender was concerned that there had not been an emergency response there yet, at least as of about half an hour ago:
7:19 PM: Something that’s NOT canceled or postponed tonight – the West Seattle Education Fair (which we’re co-sponsoring) IS on as scheduled, since there’s no outage trouble in The Junction. Until 9 pm at 40th/Edmunds.
Meantime, taking a closer look at the outage map, it appears the big mostly-east West Seattle outage is actually considered two, with a total of more than 7,500 customers. And there are more than half a dozen smaller outages around West Seattle alone, from one customer to more than 100; the restoration guesstimates are all in the 11 pm to midnight vicinity. … The outages might affect your cable even if you have electricity; Michael in North Admiral is only getting one channel, for example.
7:39 PM: From the scanner, 20-foot tree reported down blocking 21st SW in 4100 block [map] on Pigeon Point.
8:46 PM: We’ve been out checking on a few things. The wind has calmed considerably. But the West Seattle power outages haven’t been fixed yet; the eastern half of the biggest one shows a new restoration guesstimate of 2 am. Other repairs will take a while too – just got this photo of a streetlight down on 36th between Andover and Dakota:
There’ll be a lot of sweeping and raking to do tomorrow – lots of leaves and twigs evident on some of the residential streets we just drove.
9:18 PM: Thanks to everyone who has commented/texted to say your power’s back. Should be reflected on the map soon so we know who’s still out.
9:25 PM: Not showing yet so … Highland Park, High Point, Sunrise Heights, Westwood, South Delridge are the areas we’ve heard from so far, as well as southeast Fauntleroy. And … while we haven’t lost power tonight, our lights just flickered. Hoping that’s for a good reason like more restoration. Citywide, City Light now has 46,000 customers left without power.
Meantime, it should be noted that the weather alert has expired as scheduled (it was in effect through 9 pm), so forecasters indeed see things getting back to normal. But there’s still a lot to clean up and repair; firefighters for example have just been sent to the 10100 block of 31st SW for the latest “wires down” call.
10:01 PM: The City Light map now reflects more of the restored areas, with the smaller near-half of the big outage now no longer shown.
MIDNIGHT: SCL still shows more than 4,500 West Seattle customers without power. If you’re among them, please let us know when you get it back.
5:58 AM: Looks like the last major outage pocket is along Delridge north of Orchard/Sylvan.
Just after the wind started roaring this afternoon, another round of election results went public. Six days after the election, things are fairly well finalized. Of particular interest here, West Seattleite Mitzi Johanknecht (right) is King County Sheriff-elect; today’s results count widened her lead over incumbent Sheriff John Urquhart to more than 62,000 votes, and he is 
An addition to this year’s calendar of fundraising run/walks in West Seattle – the first-ever Amazon Turkey Trot is happening in Lincoln Park next Saturday, November 18th, 7:30 am. (It was moved from the originally planned South Lake Union location “due to heavy construction,” according to the event poster.) 
Nine schools are participating in this year’s 2017 West Seattle Education Fair, and tomorrow is the night you can come talk to all their reps in one room, 7-9 pm at the
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