Storm Update: The Latest from NWS, PSE, and Eastside Fire

There's been a deluge of information to sort through today related to this week's stormy weather, along with the steady afternoon rain in Sammamish. To break it down, we'll cover this evening's forecast, info from Puget Sound Energy, and where to get assistance if you are still without power in this story.

PSE Update

PSE spokeswoman Gretchen Aliabadi told Sammamish Patch this afternoon that crews continue to work on restoring power to Sammamish and Issaquah customers and that 50 additional crew members from out of state have arrived to help with these efforts, and 60 more will arrive tomorrow, from as far away as Utah and Arizona.

However, the going is slow, with 40 transmission lines, each servicing 10s of thousands of customers, out today. If high winds come through, more problems and additional outages are certainly a possibility, Aliabadi said.

PSE urges customers to be patient, as restoring power to individual homes comes from a top-down approach. The main lines must be repaired first, then ancillary lines to specific groups of homes can be addressed. The utility still expects the work to take several days to complete.

To find out in general where the utility is with repairs in your area, you can check the PSE service map; however, it is not always possible to tell which transmission line you are from the internal references, so again, Aliabadi said, patience is appreciated.

Police, Rescue agencies urge continued caution

Over the last 24-hour period, firefighters with Eastside Fire & Rescue responded to approximately 155 emergency responses. Of those, possibly two fatality incidents, and two structure fires were weather related. With power outages in many of our more rural areas, the public is urged to continue fire safety practices. Candle fires, unattended woodburning stoves or fireplaces, and open flame equipment (kerosene lanterns, heaters, cooking stoves) create a higher potential for home fires.

Also, please use emergency phone lines for emergencies only. Emergency Response officials with North East King County Regional Public Safety Communications Agency (NORCOM) are requesting citizens not call 911 for updated road condition information, according to public officials.
 
Officials are urging residents to use the 911 service for emergencies only. Calling 911 for information delays emergency calls from being answered and can delay help, said a press release. These delays for emergency calls can have devastating effects on those most in need.

Latest Forecast: strong winds are possible this weekend

Rain is expected through the weekend, with possible strong winds tonight and tomorrow. Unfortunately, this could create continued dangerous road conditions if snow-laden branches and trees snap, and the potential for additional power outages. The National Weather Service has issued both a flood advisory and a wind advisory for the area. Here's the full forecast from the National Weather Service starting from Friday, Jan. 20.

Late Afternoon: Rain. Steady temperature around 37. Southeast wind around 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Tonight: Rain. Temperature rising to around 41 by 5am. South southeast wind between 15 and 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Saturday: Showers, mainly before 10am. High near 45. Windy, with a south southwest wind 28 to 31 mph decreasing to between 20 and 23 mph. Winds could gust as high as 41 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Saturday Night: Showers likely, mainly before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. South southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday: Rain. High near 43. Southeast wind between 10 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday Night: Rain. Low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Monday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

If you need assistance

A shelter remains open in the City of Issaquah tonight. The warming shelter in the City of Sammamish closed at 5:00 p.m. today. 

The City of Issaquah has set up shelter located at the Community Center: 301 Rainer Blvd. S. in Issaquah.  Anyone staying at the shelter should bring:

• Prescription and emergency medications.
• Extra clothing, pillows, blankets, toiletries, important documents and other comfort items.
• For families with infants and children, remember to bring items such as diapers, formula and toys.

Please note, pets are not allowed in shelters, except in the case of service animals for people with disabilities. For more information, call the Red Cross at 206-323-2345.

The warming shelter at Fire Station 71 in Issaquah is now closed. 

Emergency info for Sammamish and King County

• To see the city's snow and ice route map, click on this link: www.ci.sammamish.wa.us/files/document/8320.pdf
• To report a power outage, call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 (select menu option 1).
• Be Prepared! Visit the City's Winter Preparedness webpage at www.ci.sammamish.wa.us/winter for tips on how to handle winter storms, and frequently asked questions.
• If a road emergency arises, call Public Works at 425-952-2115. After normal business hours, call 206-296-8100. 
• For information on King County road closures, go to: your.kingcounty.gov/kcdot/roads/roadalert/Subscriptions.aspx
• For Lake Washington School District information, go to: www.lwsd.org/pages/default.aspx
• For Issaquah School District information, go to: www.issaquah.wednet.edu/
• For garbage pickup information: Allied Waste 425-646-2400, www.rabanco.com - Waste Management 1-800-592-9995,wmnorthwest.com/weatherboard.html
• For Metro bus service updates, go to metro.kingcounty.gov/up/rr/adverseweather.html#map
• For Sound Transit service updates, go to www.soundtransit.org/