RSS Announcements

Jaws of Life Campaign Successful...

posted Feb 2, 2012 9:24 AM by Michael Stamper

We are delighted to announce that our Jaws of Life fund raising campaign has been successful. We recently acquired a full set of Hurst Jaws of Life tools and Rescue 42 stabilization gear. For more information, please see the article in the Department News section below...

Crane Collapses on Guemes Ferry Dock...

posted Jan 28, 2012 9:18 AM by Michael Stamper

Friday, January 27, 2012, 3:00 p.m...This afternoon, while contractors were pulling the piling on the west side of the Guemes Island transfer span, the boom of the crane buckled and the crane’s ball fell on the deck of the approach span. There is some damage to the deck of the approach span; however, ferry operations were not interrupted. Fortunately, there we no injuries. Over the next couple of days, please watch your step when walking down to the ferry. Areas that were impacted are marked with safety cones and candlesticks...

Rachel Beck, Ferry Manager.

High Wind Warning...

posted Jan 24, 2012 7:15 AM by Michael Stamper

427 AM PST TUE JAN 24 2012

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM PST WEDNESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM PST WEDNESDAY. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT...

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN WASHINGTON COAST AND THE NORTHWEST INTERIOR WILL HAVE THE STRONGEST WINDS...

* TIMING...WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING...AND THE PERIOD OF STRONGEST WINDS WILL PROBABLY OCCUR LATE THIS MORNING THROUGH THIS EVENING...

* WIND....SOUTHEAST WINDS 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS 45 TO 55 MPH...

* IMPACTS...LOCAL DAMAGE TO TREES AND POWER LINES...WITH SMALL TREES POSSIBLY BEING TOPPLED DUE TO SATURATED SOILS OR RECENT ICE DAMAGE. LOCAL POWER OUTAGES ARE POSSIBLE. FALLING TREES AND TREE LIMBS COULD CAUSE INJURY...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 39 MPH OR GUSTS OF 45 TO 57 MPH ARE LIKELY.

No Announcements at this time...

posted Jan 23, 2012 9:27 AM by Michael Stamper

High Wind Warning...

posted Jan 22, 2012 4:12 PM by Michael Stamper

236 PM PST SUN JAN 22 2012...

...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS EVENING...

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS...WHIDBEY ISLAND...BELLINGHAM...ANACORTES...AND THE COAST...

* TIMING...THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...
* WIND...SOUTHEAST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH BECOMING SOUTH WIND BY EVENING IN THE NORTHWEST INTERIOR. WINDS ON THE COAST AT MID AFTERNOON HAD SHIFTED TO SOUTHWEST BEHIND THE FRONT...AND THE WIND WILL BECOME MORE WESTERLY LATER THIS EVENING...

* IMPACTS...HIGH WINDS OF THIS STRENGTH CAN TOPPLE TREES AND CAUSE POWER OUTAGES...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS DAMAGING WINDS ARE IMMINENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 60 MPH ARE LIKELY.

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA...633 AM PST... WED JAN 18 2012

posted Jan 18, 2012 9:16 AM by Michael Stamper [ updated Jan 18, 2012 9:17 AM ]

...A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON TODAY BRINGING WIDESPREAD HEAVY SNOWFALL TO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF WESTERN WASHINGTON...

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PST THIS EVENING...

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...BELLINGHAM...LYNDEN...FRIDAY HARBOR...ANACORTES...MOUNT VERNON...PORT ANGELES...

* TIMING...TODAY...

* WIND...NORTHEAST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY OVER WESTERN WHATCOM COUNTY AND THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS...

* WIND CHILL...FALLING TO NEAR ZERO DEGREES IN WESTERN WHATCOM COUNTY AND THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS.

* MAIN IMPACT...EXPECT WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS..

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE AREA...CARRY AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT.. FOOD...WATER...AND BLANKETS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

Weather Advisory - Winter Storm/Heavy Snow Event...

posted Jan 17, 2012 9:46 AM by Michael Stamper

500 AM PST TUE JAN 17 2012

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON...
...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...BELLINGHAM...LYNDEN...FRIDAY HARBOR...ANACORTES AND MOUNT VERNON...

* TIMING...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES IS POSSIBLE TODAY IN SHOWERS. SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. 4 TO 8 INCHES OF NEW SNOW POSSIBLE ALONG WITH WINDY CONDITIONS RESULTING IN BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...

* MAIN IMPACT...EXPECT EXTREME WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL THROUGH THIS AREA...CARRY AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...WATER...AND BLANKETS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL IN THE WATCH AREA...CARRY AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...WATER...AND BLANKETS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

Weather Advisory - Major Snow and Winter Storm Event...

posted Jan 16, 2012 12:29 PM by Michael Stamper

National Weather Service...1017 AM PST MON JAN 16 2012

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM PST TUESDAY...
...WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHTTHROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM PST TUESDAY. A WINTER STORM WATCH CONTINUES FROM LATE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...BELLINGHAM...LYNDEN...FRIDAY HARBOR...ANACORTES AND MOUNT VERNON...

* TIMING...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...EXPECT 3 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOW LATE TONIGHT MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY 20 TO 30 MPH NORTHEAST WINDS ACCOMPANIED BY BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. THERE CONTINUES TO BE THE POTENTIAL FOR A SIGNIFICANT SNOW EVENT WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING...

* MAIN IMPACT...EXPECT TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS ISSUED FOR THE LOWLANDS WHEN 4 INCHES OF SNOW OR MORE IS LIKELY WITHIN 12 HOURS. HEAVY SNOW COMBINED WITH GUSTY WINDS WILL RESULT IN HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WINTER WEATHER...

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL THROUGH THIS AREA...CARRY AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...WATER...AND BLANKETS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

Weather Advisory - Possible Major Snow Event...

posted Jan 14, 2012 10:04 AM by Michael Stamper [ updated Jan 14, 2012 10:05 AM ]

506 AM PST SAT JAN 14 2012

...COOL AIR BEHIND THIS MORNINGS COLD FRONT WILL BRING A CHANCE OF LOWLAND SNOW SHOWERS TO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY...

...A SERIES OF ACTIVE STORM SYSTEMS NEXT WEEK WILL BRING PERIODS OF WINTER WEATHER TO WESTERN WASHINGTON...

A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS WESTERN WASHINGTON THIS MORNING. COOL AIR BEHIND THE FRONT WILL LOWER THE SNOW LEVEL DOWN TO NEAR THE SURFACE THIS AFTERNOON. THE COOL AIR MASS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH AT LEAST MONDAY. THERE IS NO ORGANIZED WEATHER SYSTEM MOVING INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON DURING THIS TIME FRAME...JUST A COOL UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SETTLING INTO THE REGION. PRECIPITATION BEGINNING LATER THIS MORNING WILL BE IN THE FORM OF SHOWERS WITH AT LEAST A CHANCE OF SNOW SHOWERS REMAINING IN THE FORECAST THROUGH MONDAY. WITH THE SHOWER ACTIVITY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE HIT AND MISS FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. IN GENERAL SNOW ACCUMULATION IN THE LOWLANDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE ONE INCH OR LESS. THE EXCEPTION TO THIS WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY OF CONVERGENCE ZONES OVER SNOHOMISH COUNTY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A CONVERGENCE ZONE THIS AFTERNOON BUT THE CONVERGENCE ZONE WILL MOVE INTO THE CASCADES QUICKLY. A BETTER CHANCE FOR CONVERGENCE WILL COME ON SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE NORTHERLY WINDS OVER THE NORTH SOUND MOVE SOUTH...

NEXT WEEK...A SERIES OF STRONGER AND WETTER FRONTAL SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...STARTING AROUND TUESDAY. THESE WEATHER SYSTEMS COULD BRING A THREAT OF SIGNIFICANT SNOW TO THE
LOWLANDS BUT THE EXTENDED COMPUTER MODEL SOLUTIONS ARE SHOWING A LARGE AMOUNT OF VARIABILITY THIS MORNING. THE EXACT TRACK AND STRENGTH OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WILL BRING THIS WINTER WEATHER THREAT ARE UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME.

PLEASE MONITOR LATEST FORECAST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

Weather Advisory

posted Jan 11, 2012 4:07 PM by Michael Stamper [ updated Jan 11, 2012 4:16 PM ]

214 PM PST WED JAN 11 2012.

..A COLD FRONT WILL BRING COLDER TEMPERATURES AND A CHANCE OF LOWLAND SNOW THIS WEEKEND.
..A SERIES OF ACTIVE STORM SYSTEMS NEXT WEEK WILL BRING PERIODS OF WINTER WEATHER TO WESTERN WASHINGTON...

A STRONG COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH WESTERN WASHINGTON LATER SATURDAY...USHERING IN A COLDER AIR MASS WHICH WILL LINGER INTO MONDAY. THIS WILL LOWER SNOW LEVELS TO NEAR 500 FEET SATURDAY NIGHT AND POTENTIALLY TO SEA-LEVEL SUNDAY MORNING. HIT AND MISS SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP WITH A THREAT OF A CONVERGENCE ZONE SETTING UP FROM SNOHOMISH COUNTY NORTHWARD LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. THE SHOWERS COMBINED WITH THE EXPECTED SNOW LEVEL BRINGS A THREAT OF SOME SNOW ACCUMULATIONS TO PARTS OF THE LOWLANDS. AT THIS TIME PREDICTING WHERE AND HOW MUCH SNOW WILL FALL THIS WEEKEND IS NOT POSSIBLE BUT IT IS MORE LIKELY OVER HILLTOPS AND UNDER THE CONVERGENCE ZONE AND HEAVIER SHOWERS.

...FROM TUESDAY ONWARD A SERIES OF STORM SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST...BRINGING A THREAT FOR A VARIETY OF WINTER WEATHER TO WESTERN WASHINGTON. THESE STORMS WILL SPREAD SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS RAISING THE POTENTIAL FOR AVALANCHES AND PERIODS OF DIFFICULT TRAVEL ACROSS THE PASSES. THE EXPECTED OVERALL AIR MASS OVER THE REGION THROUGH THIS PERIOD WILL BE COLD ENOUGH THAT THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A THREAT FOR PERIODS OF SNOW OVER THE LOWLANDS. VARIATIONS IN THE INTENSITY AND TRACK OF THESE SYSTEMS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT THE PRECIPITATION TYPE AND AMOUNTS...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS RISING POTENTIAL FOR WINTER WEATHER GOING INTO THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. STAY TUNED FOR FUTURE STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION.