'Bomb cyclone' kills 2 and knocks out power to more than half a million homes in northwestern US

Martha Bellisle, Hallie Golden and Lisa Baumann
| Associated Press

Issaquah, Wash. – A major storm hits the northwestern United States with strong winds and rain; It caused widespread power outages, school closures and downed trees that killed at least two people.

The Weather Prediction Center issued risks of extreme precipitation through Friday, and hurricane-force wind warnings were in effect as California and the Pacific Northwest were hit by the strongest atmospheric river — a large cloud of moisture — that has swamped the region this season. The storm system, which has been effective since Tuesday, is considered a “bomb cyclone” resulting from the rapid intensification of a hurricane.

In California, the weather service extended a flood watch through Saturday for areas north of San Francisco. Up to 16 inches (40 centimeters) of rain was expected in Northern California and southwestern Oregon by Friday. Officials warned that dangerous flash flooding, rockslides and debris flows were possible.

A winter storm watch was in place for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,066 meters), where 15 inches (28 centimeters) of snow was possible for two days. Winds could gust up to 75 miles (120 kilometers) per hour in mountainous areas, forecasters said.

Heavy, wet snowfall was expected to continue throughout the Cascades and into remote parts of Northern California. Forecasters warned of blizzard and whiteout conditions and nearly impossible travel at the pass level due to accumulation rates of 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.6 centimeters) per hour and winds up to 65 mph (105 km/h).

Falling trees crashed into homes and garbage dumps across western Washington. A woman died when a large tree fell on a homeless camp in Lynnwood Tuesday night, the South County Fire Department said in a statement. A tree fell on a house in Bellevue, east of Seattle, killing a woman, 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 wind-whipped debris crash outside his home, including a particularly loud “thump” around 9 p.m. The next morning, he ventured out to survey the damage in his neighborhood, about 17 miles (27 kilometers) away. ) 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. The tree knocked down power lines in front of his house, sending branches, leaves and other vegetation strewn all over the road.

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

The number of power outage reports in Washington fluctuated wildly Tuesday evening but had fallen to about 460,000 by Wednesday afternoon, according to poweroutage.us. More than a dozen schools were closed in Seattle alone.

About 2,800 customers were reported without power Wednesday in Oregon, 38,000 in California and 10,000 around Carson City and Reno, Nevada. Three Reno schools were closed and semi-trucks were banned from traveling on the main highway between the two cities due to high winds. Mt. near Lake Tahoe. All chair lifts at Rose Ski Resort are closed.

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

Southbound Interstate 5 was closed Wednesday morning for a stretch of 11 miles (18 kilometers) from Ashland, Oregon, to the California border 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 shut down the ferry route between Port Townsend and Coupeville in northwestern Washington for part of the day.

While Robert and Lisa Haynes of Issaquah were surveying the damage in their neighborhood, they found fallen branches or trees blocking driveways and roads. They were stuck at home.

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

Wind gusts of up to 60 mph were forecast in Juneau, Alaska.

To the east, the first significant snow of the season in the Dakotas and Minnesota caused crashes and slick roads. The weather service said up to 16 inches (40 centimeters) could fall in North Dakota’s Turtle Mountains and Minot could see up to 8 inches (20 centimeters).

Authorities advised people not to travel in northern North Dakota, and state troopers in northern Minnesota responded to several crashes, including jackknife tractor trailers, on Interstate 94 after the highway became slick with snow and ice.

Winds of up to 60 mph (97 km/h) are expected to be problematic in parts of Montana and Nebraska, the weather service said.

Golden reported from Seattle and Baumann from Bellingham, Washington. Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota; St. Jim Salter in St. Louis; Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; and Becky Bohrer from Juneau, Alaska, contributed.

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