White Center Now: The blog about White Center

Snow’s over – except for possibly a flurry – and the meltdown’s on. Thanks to those who sent photos; we’ll be adding a few more. Also, we discovered King County has more traffic cameras in White Center than we knew about – all showing main roads are bare and wet, but see for yourself here.

(Live traffic cam from 16th/107th)
7:32 PM: It’s been an hour and a half now since snow moved into the south end of the metro area – and there’s no sign it’s stopping any time soon. The National Weather Service does NOT have any warnings in effect for the general area, since they don’t expect it to total more than an inch; at WCN/WSB headquarters on the south end of West Seattle, we’re up to about 3/4″. Drive carefully if you have to go out – here’s hoping you don’t! If any incidents to report or photos to share, you’ll find us at whitecenternow@gmail.com. Thanks!

2:50 AM: Snow’s stopped. Thanks to the person who texted a photo from 16th/Roxbury!

Beautiful Saturday night sunset – first weekend of 2014. Thanks to Gill for sharing the photo. Might even have another good one on Sunday, since the forecast suggests we’ll see another sunny day.

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has cancelled the burn ban, as of 11 am today, after just 18 hours, explaining that conditions change quickly this time of year.

Christmas Eve fires are OK, but that changes on Christmas night. Just announced by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency:

Due to increasingly stagnant weather conditions, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is issuing a Stage 1 burn ban for King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties, effective at 5 pm on December 25, 2013. This ban remains in effect until further notice.

During a Stage 1 burn ban:

No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.
No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.
Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA-certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.

Out of the WCN inbox:

Winter Fire White Center

Bundle up and join us for a unique and delightful evening of community fun as we bring light and warmth to the longest nights of winter.

All around the world, for thousands of years, families, friends and communities have gathered around fires for light, heat and celebration. Traditions have emerged in many cultures around the Winter Solstice – many as a way to extend the light of the sun and hold back the dark of the longest night of the year. It’s also a time to celebrate the transition toward the longer days of Spring and Summer to come.

On this night, we will come together to celebrate with fire and dance – creating a new tradition unique to OUR community.

When: 4:00 pm
Saturday, December 21, 2013

Where: Greenbridge Plaza Community Space
8th Ave SW & SW 99th St

5:13 AM: It’s snowing, as predicted, and expected to continue into the late morning. We’ll publish major updates here, including roads, transit, and schools, as we get them.

5:53 AM: Trouble on Olson Place already, per the scanner – a bus partly blocking at 3rd.

6:07 AM: Highline Public Schools has just tweeted that it’s CLOSED for the day.

7:10 AM: Metro buses are all on snow routes.

7:27 AM: Remember that King County is plowing fewer roads – although the snow is not so heavy that this is likely to be a major problem, this time. Also – an added school closure in White Center: West Seattle Montessori is closed.

3:13 PM: Metro is back to regular routes.

Just in case you hadn’t heard yet – Puget Sound Clean Air Agency says the air’s expected to clear with wind speed picking up and maybe even some precipitation, so the burn ban put into place at noon Sunday is now OVER.

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has announced a Stage 1 burn ban, in effect throughout King County as of noon today. Here’s what that means:

*No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.

*No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.

*Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

*It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA-certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.

(Also published on partner sites West Seattle Blog and The South Park News)

As of 2 pm, King County will be under a Stage 2 burn ban, elevated from Sunday’s announcement. Here’s what the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency says that means:

*No burning is allowed in ANY wood-burning fireplaces, wood stoves or fireplace inserts (certified or uncertified) or pellet stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.

*No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires and the use of fire pits and chimineas.

*Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

*It is OK to use natural gas and propane stoves or inserts during a Stage 2 burn ban.

This might not last long – breezes up to 15 mph are in the forecast for tomorrow, and possible rain starting Thursday night.

(Also published on partner sites West Seattle Blog and The South Park News)

You’ve probably noticed, maybe even felt the effects of, the stagnant, murky air. It’s just led the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to announce a Stage 1 burn ban for King County as of 2 pm today. Here’s how the agency explains that type of burn ban:

*No burning is allowed in fireplaces or uncertified wood stoves. Residents should rely instead on their home’s other, cleaner source of heat (such as their furnace or electric baseboard heaters) for a few days until air quality improves, the public health risk diminishes and the ban is cancelled. The only exception is if a wood stove is a home’s only adequate source of heat.

*No outdoor fires are allowed. This includes recreational fires such as bonfires, campfires, and the use of fire pits and chimineas.

*Burn ban violations are subject to a $1,000 penalty.

It is OK to use natural gas, propane, pellet and EPA-certified wood stoves or inserts during a Stage 1 burn ban.

More info? Go here. As for the weather – the long-range forecast doesn’t include rain any sooner than Friday night.

9:09 AM: We’re getting several reports of White Center outages, including 12th and 106th vicinity, while the wind is gusting. The National Weather Service has a wind advisory in effect for our area until 8 pm. Let us know via comments or whitecenternow@gmail.com if there’s trouble in your area.

9:54 AM UPDATE: Added a screengrab from the Seattle City Light outage map, showing the areas in White Center where the power is out. Around SCL’s service area, more than 8,400 homes/businesses are without power.

12:38 PM UPDATE: Looks like most if not all of the outage area is restored.

On our third day of wild weather, rain and sun alternated for much of the afternoon – after morning downpours including the one Gill captured in that photo! No warnings in effect right now but the weather is still unsettled, to say the least, according to the newest forecast.

What a Tuesday night that was! But after the rain, the wind, the lightning … came rainbows. Thanks to Gill for sharing photos.

Heads up – the National Weather Service says thunderstorms are possible again this afternoon and evening!

4:25 PM: Thanks to the tipsters who let us know about a tree down on Ambaum around SW 116th. We’re en route to check it out. Not sure yet how much it’s affecting traffic. Updates to come.

4:57 PM UPDATE: The tree is down in the southbound lanes just south of SW 116th. When we were there a short time ago, people were being diverted around that area. In our photo above, that’s the tree to the left of the view – you can’t see the trunk, just the big leafy top.

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency has just announced that the burn ban in King County is over (here’s the proof), which means no more restrictions on fireplaces/woodstoves, etc. As for when the fog will go – the area forecast says we might finally see rain Tuesday night.

Thanks to Gill for sharing that photo from about noon today, as the White Center Neighborhood Pond gleamed in the winter sunshine. This might be the end of the afternoon sunshine, though – forecast says clouds and rain are headed back this way.

Scenes from Monday’s power outage in part of downtown White Center, photographed by Nick Adams for WCN … After a while, all the newly opened Meander’s Kitchen could do was put up a sign and hope today will be OK. Inside the Locker Room, meantime, the outage didn’t stop the revelry:

City Light listed the cause as “equipment failure.”

Thanks to Athena at Meander’s for flagging us on this – it wasn’t on the Seattle City Light outage map till a short time ago: There’s a power outage in downtown White Center. 65 customers (one customer = one business or home) affected, says SCL. Might not be back on till 4 pm. Looks like it’s affecting the north side of Roxbury around 16th, 17th too.

Thanks to Alice Haury for the sunset view from White Center, looking toward Vashon (the forested foreground) and then the Olympic Mountains!