We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
This photo shows some extreme cleanup and power restoration challenges in metro Seattle after a bomb cyclone hit the area. Described as "like a hurricane on the Pacific Ocean" the winds produced havoc with the towering trees, especially in established neighborhoods. An estimated 650,000 customers lost power following the event that occurred early evening on November 19.
The 30-foot top of a fir tree blew across the entrance road to the subdivision where we are staying in Woodinville, Washington. In addition to widespread and prolonged power outages there was damage to dwellings and commercial buildings. Four people died from injuries during the event, mostly from falling trees
This engine on an Amtrak passenger train was 'speared' when a tree blew over during a bomb cyclone that hit metro Seattle in mid-November. The operator of the engine was taken to the hospital. He suffered minor injuries. No passengers on the moving train were injured.
This is a story about a bomb cyclone that hit Seattle while Sherry and I were out here doing our annual dog sitting gig. Since the last story I did was about Japanese balloon bombs from World War II, regular readers may think I'm fixated on writing about bombs. One big difference, besides a 75-year time gap, is that a bomb cyclone is a function of natural forces, not a manmade weapon like the bomb balloons. On Tuesday evening, November 19, a bomb cyclone hit much of western Washington, specifically the metro Seattle area where we are staying in Woodinville. Here's a bit about bomb cyclones and what happened when one hit the Emerald City (Seattle).
So, what is a bomb cyclone?
The major news outlets in western Washington carried the story of a bomb cyclone likely to hit metro Seattle. The newscasts mentioned the possibility of very high wind gusts, lots of rain and possible power outages. Most locals I asked about bomb cyclones just shrugged their shoulders and said they had never heard of such a thing. Actually, the term bomb cyclone was first mentioned in an academic paper in 1980 and bomb cyclones are infrequent in the Pacific Northwest but more common in the California mountains.
What I learned was that bomb cyclones are like mini-hurricanes but over the Pacific Ocean. When cold air collides with very warm air over warm ocean water, the barometric pressure drops and as the system strengthens it can produce a bomb cyclone-explosive winds and "a river of moisture" in the sky. Very strong winds push out from the center of the system over the ocean and those winds cause damage when they hit land. Winds produced by the recent bomb cyclone in Washington were recorded inland at 60-80 mph. Off the coast 100+ mph winds were documented-the latter is equivalent to wind speeds of a Category 2 hurricane.
Tall, coniferous trees cover much of metro Seattle. Several earlier rains saturated the soil and the strong wind played havoc with the trees. Many structures and vehicles were hit by falling trees. The falling trees knocked out electrical power lines over a wide area. After the winds subsided on Tuesday evening, November 19, 650,000 customers were without electricity and the outages were randomly located.
Coping with the aftermath of a bomb cyclone.
Sherry and I were fortunate that the folks who own the house where we dog sit have a portable gas-powered generator that can be used to power the furnace, sewage system (privately owned in this part of the city), the refrigerator and a few outdoor lights. The house owner's son helped me get the generator set up and running. A gas kitchen range made it possible to cook and a gas fireplace in the apartment where we stay provided heat. The temperatures were in the low 40s all during the three days we were without electricity so we could turn off the generator at night. That meant going to bed and piling on the covers when the generator was shut down.
Something so simple as charging a cell phone became a challenge. One of our older grandsons works for Nordstrom, a local department store chain. He said the mall, where he works, had people sitting all over the place wherever they could find an outlet to charge their phones. A teen grandson works at a Steak and Shake in an area surrounded by Google offices and apartments. He said people came to the restaurant to eat and charge their phones. He added, "We had power but didn't have enough help or food to fulfill the demand, people were lined up out the door and along the sidewalk."
Interestingly, not all areas of metro Seattle were without power. We know people who live nearby and have adult children and grandkids living in the area. When family members lost power, those with power sheltered those without. And even strangers shared. A neighbor that does not have a generator came to the house where we stay and asked if she could bring her rice cooker to cook rice for dinner. She knew the owners of the house, who are in Florida, and assumed the generator would be operating. Some businesses with electricity invited people to come and charge their phones. And amazingly to me, with no traffic lights working in some areas, these aggressive drivers out here were actually courteous, taking turns to drive through intersections. Apparently, adversity can bring people together.
Worries about the situation also affects one's emotional status. One night I got up to get a drink of water. The area of the house where we live has a huge window facing east. I was standing, gazing out the window. Everything was dark (no power on around us) but way in the distance, just on the horizon, I could see a bright light. I thought, "Wow, some big building must be firing up their generators." I stood there a few more seconds and watched the light get bigger and brighter. Then I realized I was watching the moon rise...
The next morning Sherry said, "You must have been dreaming last night. All of a sudden you shouted, "Hey, someone is getting their lights on." Watching the moon rise I must have been subconsciously thinking about how soon the power might come back on. The power was restored a day or two later.
Some takeaways from experiencing our first bomb cyclone
First, no matter how much you feel ready for an emergency, you likely will have overlooked something. We each had packed a small flashlight but had no idea how inadequate they would be when the power was off for three days. And who worries about having enough provisions in the middle of a major metropolitan area. Though we were without power there were stores in the area that were unaffected and main thoroughfares were quickly reopened allowing us to resupply essentials.
During this ordeal I recalled several times what a friend in Chinook often says to me, "Don't over think it." We were living in a place that wasn't totally familiar to us. We were existing under emergency conditions and relying on people we didn't really know to help us. Sometimes we may have to rely on folks we don't know and deal with situations not familiar to us. That's when going with the flow is often the best course of action. Going with the flow worked for us again this time, thankfully.
