Wild night of strange weather
10:48 PM PDT on Monday, June 9, 2008
SEATTLE – June feels more like January with high winds and heavy rain.
Winds reached more than 35 mph, bringing down dozens of trees and causing thousands of power outages across Western Washington, and before the night is over, more snow is expected in the mountains.
About 50,000 people were without power Monday evening – mostly around Seattle, North Bend, Kitsap County, South King County and the Olympia area.
It will be very windy in the Yakima and Kittitas Valleys, and the eastern Columbia River Gorge overnight as a strong cold front sweeps across Eastern Washington and Eastern Oregon.
The windy conditions will continue through 4 a.m. and then decrease by sunrise.
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Less than two weeks before the official start of summer, Washington State Department of Transportation crews are pulling out the de-icers and snow plows at Snoqualmie Pass.
A heavy snow warning is in effect for the Olympics and the Northern and Central Cascades above 3,500 feet. The National Weather Service predicts up to 10 inches by 8 a.m. Tuesday.
"We've got ten trucks ready to go. We got the plows on them. Put the spinners back on. We're all set to plow or put out de-icer if need be," said Allen Minerich, WSDOT maintenance supervisor.
It's been a wacky winter to say the least.
Extra snow plows were on hand Monday night at Snoqualmie, Stevens, White and Chinook passes, as well as the North Cascades Highway.
"I think it's kind crazy because there's still lots of snow up here and when is it going away?" asked Yakima resident Kathy Sanders.
Snoqualmie Pass got 49 feet of snow this season, nearly breaking a record.
KING 5 Meteorologist Jeff Renner is predicting a trace to 4 inches in the mountain passes Monday night into Tuesday morning, with the snow level between 2,000 and 2,500 feet and lows between 25 and 30 degrees. At higher elevations, Renner says the accumulations could reach 12 inches with an increased threat of avalanche.
The first week of June 2008 was the coldest in Seattle since 1894.








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