A little FYI about the storm we're experiencing...

[lithera]

Average seas of 46 feet, with some waves recorded as high as 70 feet have been recorded by offshore buoys off the north Oregon Coast. In fact, the weather buoy off the Columbia Bar become ripped from its tether and is now adrift in the Pacific.

River data show the Skokomish River nearing all-time record flood stage. The previous record flow rate on the Skykomish near Potlatch was 13,800 cfs set in 1976. The latest reading on that same meter is now 27,000 cfs. The previous flood-stage record was set in 1997 at 17.64 feet. We have now broken that at 17.83 feet and rising. Prepare for major flooding on a level never seen before along that river. Records have been kept on that river since 1929.

A mudslide blocked part of Westlake Avenue North in the 2400 block. Another mudslide blocked one lane of Highway 99 near 14th Avenue South, and a sinkhole ruptured the road at Golden Gardens Drive NW and NW 85th Street near Ballard.

The Hood Canal Bridge is stuck in the open position.

Some wind gusts:
Lincoln City, Ore.: 125 mph
Cape Disappointment: 104 mph
Hurricane Ridge: 86 mph
Aberdeen: 62 mph
Bellingham: 53 mph

Everyone in the PNW take care out there. It's ugly and we've been getting power flickers here all morning long.

Comments

[princessgeek.livejournal.com]

lots of freakinzeoutin around here about the skykomish.
probably cancel school tomorrow. whee.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

I can imagine. I wouldn't want to be near a river right now.

[fireballof3.livejournal.com]

Maybe we're just getting a light dose down south, but apart from some serious winds yesterday afternoon it's just been kinda soggy. Nothing too bad tho.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

It is crazy up here.

Renton activated its emergency centre an hour and a half ago. Kitsap County has declared a state of emergency, they're evacuating parts of Bothell...

[fireballof3.livejournal.com]

Really? huh....

[lithera.livejournal.com]

10:40 a.m.: Coast Guard communications problems: The Thirteenth Coast Guard District Command Center temporarily lost communications with Coast Guard Group Astoria today due to hurricane force winds sweeping the Pacific Northwest.

Yeah. It's ugly out there.

[thezzyzx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there's a little 3 inch creek by my house. It's about 2 feet deep right now and is threatening to overflow its bank.

[fireballof3.livejournal.com]

I think I'm glad I like at the top of a hill.

[gothams3rdrobin.livejournal.com]

*wide eyes of surprise* Woah...that sounds scary!

And they're evacuating Bothell, you said? See, here that would be considered a safe distance from the coast...I can't imagine coastal weather that bad!

[lithera.livejournal.com]

They're evacuating that because of river flooding, not coastal. Bothell is pretty far from it, though.

[gothams3rdrobin.livejournal.com]

*nods* Thinking about it, that makes sense. We had floods as far up country as Birmingham in the lat spring/early summer, 'cause the Severn and its tributaries were overflowing from the heavy rainfall.

[seanb.livejournal.com]

Heh. Hood Canal Bridge frakked. Mudslides. I'm sure Sawdust Hill has collapsed on Big Valley road again. There was a house built into the side of Sawdust hill that used to slip a couple inches every year - I wonder if it's dead yet?

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Bremerton has gotten over 9 inches of rain today, if that gives you an idea of what it must be like. 3 and 16 are both closed.

[yellowseptember.livejournal.com]

Today was one of those "lean forward to make it through the wind" days. Walking Nat to school was fun.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

I can imagine.

[kielrain.livejournal.com]

had to drive down to Oly today... and WOW... it is sinking...

I saw pictures of the west side cars floating. They are going to drain part of the lake for high tide so they can hope to keep parts of downtown dry.

But, hell, they had many flooded streets and damn it was soggy in the few places I had to go. The drive down was no fun as well.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

I can imagine. There are places not too far south of Olympia where they've closed the freeway.

[lysistratah.livejournal.com]

Eep! Be safe!

[lithera.livejournal.com]

It is crazy time out here. I'd rather it be snow. Less people would be out in it if it were.

[lysistratah.livejournal.com]

This is when you tell me the new apartment close enough to Amazon that you have a safe and (relativly) easy commute.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

*laughs*

The new and the old place have about the same commute for me. I'm good.

[sharkcowsheep.livejournal.com]

There's NOTHING going on here in Tacoma, absolutely nothing at all. A breeze and a drizzle. It seems impossible that the rest of the I-5 corridor is sucking it up so badly.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

It is crazy land out there.

[sharkcowsheep.livejournal.com]

It really seriously is. The apartment has probably blown over and burnt down by now.

[lithera.livejournal.com]

Perhaps floated away.