A conversation with Seattle
BNSF Railway Spokesperson Gus Melonas has blamed the mudslide epidemic on “extremely rainy conditions” — but, Mass says, not so fast with that “extremely”: “If we go back 6 months, the region around Everett stands out more, reaching 130-150 percent of normal [precipitation]. Yes, a bit wet, but I suspect we could find other periods to equal it.” Continue reading Trying to Reason With Mudslide Season
Winter is coming, says Cliff Mass. The University of Washington meteorologist has a vested interest in preparedness since he gets stuck in the snow just like everyone else, and is a vocal member of the salt-and-snow-plow lobby. Continue reading Well-Salted Seattle Keeps an Online Watch on Winter Weather
The trend is for a weak El Niño winter, or even a neutral winter, and that “indicates an increased likelihood of below-median precipitation for the Pacific Northwest.” A wildcard, they say, is the Arctic Oscillation, which could cool things off…or not. Continue reading A Less Rainy Winter Forecast Doesn’t Rule Out Big Storms
I would argue that the most significant factor in maintaining ridership, and building it through good word-of-mouth, is the elimination of canceled trains due to mudslides. It seems miraculous that there are 1,000 people so dogged they won’t let 30 canceled trains in January 2006 (and 44 in March 2011!) keep them from showing up at the station at 5:45 a.m. on a winter morning. Continue reading How Do Mudslides Affect Sounder North’s Low Ridership?
There’s an indication from models that the storm track may push northward 50 to 100 miles, so the supersoaker would be then aimed at our Canadian compatriots. That would please local football fans but KOMO still has one to two inches penciled in for Seattle. Continue reading Seattle, Facing Rainy Weekend, Tries to Remember How This Works
Our sentiments exactly. It’s more the frigid temperatures we’re having a hard time with. But it’s now officially less than a month until summer begins, right? Continue reading Glimpses: “Rain Happens”
But all that is as nothing before the fury of a SoCal storm that lasts several hours. Let the L.A. Times show you a real winter storm. Downtown Los Angeles drowned under 0.59 inches of rain, and the “California Highway Patrol reported 422 traffic collisions.” (What is it with those clueless Los Angelenos? Always marching unarmed into their infrequent battles with rain….) Continue reading Button It, Seattle Snow Wimps, It Rained in L.A.