Two powerful storms wreaked havoc in the Pacific Northwest, leaving more than half a million homes and businesses without power and leading to the deaths of two people near Seattle. The storms, described as a “bomb cyclone” for their rapid pressure drop, brought high winds, rain, snow, falling trees, and downed power lines across the region.
In western Washington, residents faced snow, freezing rain, and blizzard conditions, while in eastern Washington, blizzard conditions led to the closure of major routes like Interstate 5. Two fatalities were reported – a woman in Lynnwood who was killed by a falling tree at a homeless encampment, and a woman in Bellevue whose house was struck by a tree.
The storms caused significant damage, with cars crushed by falling trees and a public bus hit, although no passengers were onboard. The National Weather Service station in Seattle was also damaged by the high winds. Over 700,000 homes and businesses lost power in the state, with hundreds of thousands still without power by Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, an atmospheric river event brought extreme rainfall to California, leading to concerns about flash flooding, debris flows, and rock slides. A separate storm off the Northwest coast was forecasted to intensify the atmospheric river effect. Climate experts warned that climate change was exacerbating the severity of such storms, emphasizing the need for mitigation and adaptation measures.
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