‘Unprecedented’ storm slams into Pacific Northwest

In California, the weather service extended a flood watch through Saturday for areas north of San Francisco. Forecasters said Wednesday morning that 1 1/2 inches of rain were recorded over 24 hours in the higher elevations of Sonoma County wine country. More than 10 inches were forecast for northern parts of the state and the central coast. Dangerous flash floods, rockslides and debris flows were possible,

officials warned.

Heavy, wet snow was expected to continue throughout the Cascades and parts of northern California. Forecasters warned of blizzard and whiteout conditions and near-impossible travel at the pass level due to accumulation rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour and winds up to 65 mph.

Falling trees crashed into homes and littered roads in northwest Washington. A woman died when a large tree fell on a homeless camp in Lynnwood, Washington, Tuesday night, the South County Fire Department said in a statement. A woman was killed when a tree fell on a home Tuesday night in Bellevue, east of Seattle, fire officials said.

Tracy Meloy of Issaquah, Washington, felt well prepared for the storm Tuesday afternoon, as she had dinner and flashlights ready. But he then spent the night listening to the sounds of wind-whipped debris, including a particularly loud “thump” around 9 p.m. On Wednesday morning, he ventured out to survey the damage in his neighborhood about 17 miles east of Seattle.

“Now that I’m standing here in front of the house, I can tell it’s the tree across the street,” Meloy said. He cut down the electric poles in front of his tree house. Branches, leaves and other vegetation were strewn all over the road.

“It looks like the forest floor instead of the street,” he said.

More than 600,000 power outages were reported in Washington early Wednesday, but that number dropped to about 110,000 by later morning, according to poweroutage.us. More than 8,600 people were reported without power in Oregon, 32,000 in California and 1,000 in Nevada.

“Trees are falling all over the city and falling on homes,” the Bellevue Fire Department posted on X Tuesday night. “If possible, go to the bottom floor and stay away from windows. “Do not go out if you can.”

In the Dakotas and Minnesota, the first significant snow of the season caused crashes and slick roads. Up to 16 inches of snow could fall in North Dakota’s Turtle Mountains and up to 8 inches could fall in Minot, the weather service said. Wind gusts up to 60 mph are expected to be problematic in parts of Montana and Nebraska, the weather service said.

State troopers in northern Minnesota have responded to several crashes involving tractor trailers that were jackknifed.

He got off on Interstate 194 after the road became slick with snow and ice, Minnesota State Patrol said. No injuries were immediately reported.

The weather service warned people on the West Coast about the danger of trees during high winds, writing to X: “Stay safe by staying away from outdoor rooms and windows and using caution when driving.”

Southbound Interstate 5 was closed for 11 miles from Ashland, Oregon, to the California border Wednesday morning due to extreme winter weather conditions in Northern California, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. The ministry said a long-term closure is expected.

The weather service issued a flood warning for parts of southwestern Oregon through Friday evening, while high winds and seas halted the ferry route between Port Townsend and Coupeville in northwestern Washington.

Robert and Lisa Haynes of Issaquah, Washington, surveyed the damage in their neighborhood Wednesday. Fallen branches or trees blocked driveways and roads and they were trapped in the house.

“It’s like a snow day, but without snow,” Robert Haynes said.

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