waiting for the storm

Was just outside sledding and even though it's windy out, I'm sure that it'll get much windier before this is all done. You could leave footprints, turn around and they would be gone.


From Weather Channel:

A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM PST SUNDAY.

STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS THIS EVENING AND PERSIST THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. SUSTAINED WINDS COULD REACH 40 TO 60 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 75 MPH. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN KING COUNTY SUCH AS NORTH BEND... MAPLE VALLEY AND ENUMCLAW. COMMUNITIES IN EASTERN SNOHOMISH COUNTY SUCH AS SULTAN AND GOLD BAR COULD ALSO EXPERIENCE WINDS APPROACHING THIS MAGNITUDE.

FURTHER WEST ALONG THE I-405 AND HIGHWAY 167 CORRIDORS... INCLUDING WOODINVILLE... BELLEVUE... RENTON AND AUBURN... WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 45 MPH ARE EXPECTED.

THIS EVENT COULD RIVAL A SIMILAR FOOTHILLS WIND STORM FROM EARLY DECEMBER 2003. DURING THAT EVENT... NUMEROUS TREES WERE BLOWN OVER... BLOCKING RESIDENTIAL STREETS AND MAJOR HIGHWAYS ALIKE... INCLUDING HIGHWAY 18 NEAR TIGER MOUNTAIN. POWER WAS KNOCKED OUT TO MANY RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES FOR AS MUCH AS A WEEK. PREPARATIONS FOR THIS WINDSTORM SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. BE SURE TO HAVE ENOUGH SUPPLIES ON HAND TO LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS SHOULD YOU BE STRANDED AT HOME.

IN ADDITION... WIND CHILL READINGS DURING THIS EVENT MAY BE NEAR ZERO WITH AIR TEMPERATURES IN THE 20S. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL ALSO CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW THAT WILL CAUSE REDUCED VISIBILITY AT TIMES AND HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS THAT A SEVERE HIGH WIND EVENT IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 50 MPH... OR GUSTS OF 75 MPH OR HIGHER WILL OCCUR ACROSS THE LOWLANDS. RESIDENTS AND LOCAL OFFICIALS IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WIDESPREAD DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES THAT COULD LAST FOR MORE THAN A WEEK.

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Tonite is supposed to be the start of a bad one. Went to Safeway this morning to get gas for the truck and groceries. Each line of the gas station was 4 or 5 vehicles deep and most of them were putting gas into containers for their generators. Then inside the store people were probably 6 deep. Soup cans were practically nonexistent along with everything else people might eat if the power went out.

We went sledding earlier. Too much fun. Cold though. Ran into one of our neighbors who said that all of his neighbors in the cul-de-sac had generators. Especially after what happened the last time and they were without power for a couple of days. We've been debating but the only thing we'd really need it for would be heat. Not really worried about the fridge stuff since you can always take it out and put it in coolers outside.

Hopefully we won't lose power. I guess if we do, we'll be getting a generator for the next time just in case.....