'Bomb cyclone' knocks out power to over 600,000 and downs trees across
northwest US, killing 1
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 [November 20, 2024]
By HALLIE GOLDEN and LISA BAUMANN
SEATTLE (AP) — A major storm swept across the northwest U.S., battering
the region with strong winds and rain, causing widespread power outages
and downing trees that killed at least one person.
The Weather Prediction Center issued excessive rainfall risks through
Friday and hurricane-force wind warnings were in effect as the strongest
atmospheric river — a large plume of moisture — that California and the
Pacific Northwest has seen this season overwhelmed the region. The storm
system that hit starting Tuesday is considered a “ bomb cyclone,” which
occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly.
Falling trees struck homes and littered roads across northwest
Washington. In Lynnwood, Washington, a woman died Tuesday night when a
large tree fell on a homeless encampment, South County Fire said in a
statement on X. In Seattle, a tree fell onto a vehicle, temporarily
trapping a person inside, the Seattle Fire Department reported. The
agency later said the individual was in stable condition.
“Trees are coming down all over the city & falling onto homes,” the fire
department in Bellevue, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) east of Seattle,
posted on the social platform X. "If you can, go to the lowest floor and
stay away from windows. Do not go outside if you can avoid it."
Early Wednesday, over 600,000 houses in Washington State were reported
to be without power on poweroutage.us. But the number of outage reports
had fluctuated wildly Tuesday evening likely due in part to several
weather and utility agencies struggling to report information on the
storm because of internet outages and other technical problems. It
wasn’t clear if that figure was accurate. More than 15,000 had lost
power in Oregon and nearly 19,000 in California.
As of 8 p.m., the peak wind speed was in Canadian waters, where gusts of
101 mph (163 kph) were reported off the coast of Vancouver Island,
according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. Along the Oregon
coast, there were wind gusts as high at 79 mph (127 kph) Tuesday
evening, according to the National Weather Service in Medford, Oregon,
while wind speed of 77 mph (124 kph) was recorded at Mount Rainier in
Washington.
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In this image provided by Eastside Fire & Rescue, officials survey
the scene where a tree fell on a home in Issaquah, Wash., Tuesday,
Nov. 19, 2024. (Eastside Fire & Rescue via AP)
The national Weather Service warned people on the West Coast about
the danger of trees during high winds, posting on X, “Stay safe by
avoiding exterior rooms and windows and by using caution when
driving.”
In northern California, flood and high wind watches were in effect,
with up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain predicted for parts of
the San Francisco Bay Area, North Coast and Sacramento Valley.
Dangerous flash flooding, rock slides and debris flows were
expected, according to the National Weather Service Weather
Prediction Center.
A winter storm watch was issued for the northern Sierra Nevada above
3,500 feet (1,066 meters), where 15 inches (28 centimeters) of snow
was possible over two days. Wind gusts could top 75 mph (120 kph) in
mountain areas, forecasters said.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for parts of
southwestern Oregon through Friday evening, while rough winds and
seas halted a ferry route in northwestern Washington between Port
Townsend and Coupeville.
A blizzard warning was issued for the majority of the Cascades in
Washington, including Mount Rainier National Park, starting Tuesday
afternoon, with up to a foot of snow and wind gusts up to 60 mph (97
kph), according to the weather service in Seattle. Travel across
passes could be difficult if not impossible.
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