New Years Stormy Weather Forecast

The National Weather Service (NWS) Portland is forecasting severe weather over the next 2-3 days (January 1-3). A chronological synopsis of events includes:

• A low pressure system will bring warm air into the area early Thursday morning. This low pressure system will bring strong winds and heavy rain. Temperatures could get into the 50's.
• A second low pressure system will bring a second round of strong winds and cold air to the area on Thursday night. This second system will bring 1-3 inches of snow above 500 feet with possible snow on the valley floor by Friday morning.
• It is possible we will receive 6-7 inches of rain in the coastal range and 1-3 inches of rain on the valley floor from these two systems.
• River and small stream flooding is to be expected especially at the coast. The Cowlitz River is expected to reach flood stage on Friday morning cresting at 23 ft.

Click on the following links to get the specific NWS information:

Flood Watch

High Wind Weather Statement

If you have any questions please contact me or visit the NWS website at http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pqr/.

Businesses Should Report Economic Losses

We have been fortunate that the recent snow storm has not caused a significant amount of reported damage throughout Cowlitz County; however, because of the timing of the storm, the economic losses could be relatively high. One of the types of disaster assistance programs that is offered by the Small Business Association involves economic injury or loss. In order for the State of Washington to qualify for this type of assistance program, we need businesses to substantiate their estimated economic losses during this storm. Please fill out the form on the right side tool bar and fax it to the Cowlitz County Department of Emergency Management at 360-577-3009 by 5:00 p.m. on January 15th, 2009. We will compile the data and provide it to Washington State. Completing this worksheet does not obligate you to apply for an SBA loan. It merely quantifies the economic impact to businesses by this weather event and allows the Governor to make a request for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans for those businesses that need and want it. Following the submission of our local data to the State of Washington in February, we will provide updated information here on the blog and website should disaster assistance become available locally. We will also attempt direct contact with each of the submitting agencies regarding next steps if SBA assistance is granted.

Road Closure Notice

The Cowlitz County Dept. of Public Works will close Abernathy Road from Ocean Beach Hwy to McAdams to all traffic immediately due to weather related issues. A detour route is available by traveling from Ocean Beach Hwy to Bunker Hill to McAdams.

More snow on the horizon....

Here’s the latest from the National Weather Service:

A low pressure system is coming in from the Pacific and bringing with it warmer temperatures, eventually.
Wednesday AM: Snow showers on the valley floor of 1-2” and 3-4” above 500 feet.
Wednesday PM: Brief rain, then back to snow for Wednesday evening, another 1-2” possible on the valley floor and 4-8” above 500 feet. Highs in the low 30’s. Lows in the upper 20’s.
Thursday: Possible snow showers about 500 feet. Highs in the 30’s. Low of 25.
Friday: Temperatures will begin to rise, rain possible. Highs in the 40’s.
Saturday: New, mild pattern is emerging bringing temperatures in the 40’s and rain.

There is no concern at this time for river flooding, only for urban flooding due to snow melt.

How NOT to get rid of snow

Man melting snow with blowtorch ignites home
He wanted to clear back porch, instead he's got $30,000 in damage

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. - Fire officials in New Bedford, Mass., say a man using a blowtorch to melt ice on his back porch ended up setting his house on fire, causing up to $30,000 in damage.
Fire Capt. Scott Kruger tells The Standard-Times of New Bedford that no on was injured during Monday's incident at the three-story home.
Kruger says the man was using a torch hooked up to a 20-pound propane cylinder. He got too close to the building's wood frame and ignited the vinyl siding. The fire quickly spread into the building's second- and third-floor apartments.
It took 25 firefighters to subdue the blaze that damaged bedrooms in the upstairs units, and caused damage to the structure and wiring.
The homeowner will not be charged.

(generalized stupidity is not yet a criminal offense, sadly)

Season's Greetings from DEM

Weather-wise, it should be a relatively quiet day. Tomorrow, however, looks a little more hectic. We will have a weather briefing at 2:00pm today and will share the findings this afternoon.

Dashing Through the Snow...or Ice...

This forecast is from the National Weather Service at 3:50pm:

A WINTER STORM WATCH is in effect for snow and freezing rain for WEDNESDAY MORNING through WEDNESDAY EVENING. Another low pressure system is expected to drop southeast into the Pacific Northwest Wednesday and Wednesday night. A relatively cold air mass will be in place ahead of this system bringing the chance for low elevation snow and freezing rain. At this time there is considerable uncertainty as to how cold the air will be ahead of the storm in the lower valleys. It appears the precipitation would start out as snow Wednesday and change to freezing rain by Wednesday evening. Although it is not certain, there is a potential for significant accumulations of snow or freezing rain Wednesday afternoon and evening. If the track of the storm is just a little further north than expected it is also possible that the precipitation could quickly change over to rain Wednesday.