Issaquah road closures expand due to downed power lines, fallen trees
January 19, 2012
NEW — 7:50 p.m. Jan. 19, 2012
Trees loaded with snow continue to snap and fall on state highways and local streets across Issaquah and nearby unincorporated areas, causing street closures.
Crews said a coating of ice on trees and power lines is further complicating travel. Motorists should be on the lookout for falling debris as well as ice on roads.
Early Thursday, crews responded a downed tree and power lines on state Route 900 between Northwest Talus Drive and the southern city limits. The stretch between the access road to the Talus urban village and the city line closed early Thursday and remains closed as Puget Sound Energy crews tend to the problem.
Southeast 56th Street from 229th Avenue Southeast to East Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast is closed due to downed power lines.
On Squak Mountain, Highwood Drive Southwest near the intersection of Greenwood Boulevard Southwest is closed and Southwest Forest Drive is closed from Wildwood Boulevard Southwest to Wildwood Boulevard Southwest. In addition, the road is closed at 845 S.W. Ellerwood St.
Motorists encounter fallen trees on local, regional roads
January 19, 2012
State Route 900 remains barricaded at midafternoon Jan. 20 to motorists wanting to go southbound past Northwest Talus Drive, a day after a downed tree blocked access to the urban village. By Greg Farrar
NEW — 1:15 p.m. Jan. 19, 2012
State transportation officials said the ice after a major snowstorm continues to create difficult driving conditions throughout the region.
Department of Transportation planners said frigid temperatures should continue to cause harsh conditions throughout Thursday.
“We had our crews out all night de-icing the roads. We threw everything we had at this storm — sand, de-icer, salt and plows,” Regional Maintenance Manager Dave McCormick said. ”It’s so widespread that it’s been very difficult to keep up.”
State Route 900 is closed at Southeast May Valley Road. State Route 18 remains closed from Auburn Way and Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast due to multiple downed trees for several miles. State Route 202 is closed between Fall City and Snoqualmie due to downed trees. The roads should remain closed for several hours.
King County road crews report ‘very treacherous’ conditions
January 19, 2012
NEW — 8:30 a.m. Jan. 19, 2012
King County Road Services Division crews reported “very treacherous” road conditions Thursday morning due to additional snow and freezing rain on local roadways.
Meanwhile, the state Department of Transportation extended the closure of state Route 18 from Interstate 90 to Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast from the interstate to state Route 164 in Auburn — a 22-mile stretch.
City crews reopened Newport Way Northwest from Northwest Oakcrest Drive to state Route 900 by 8:30 a.m. after a downed tree prompted a closure.
Though city, county and state crews continue efforts to keep major arteries clear for motorists, drivers should expect icy conditions on less-traveled roads. County crews reported problems related to downed trees and limbs from heavy ice accumulations.
More rain or freezing rain is in the forecast for the next several hours, s0 motorists should use extreme caution on local roads. If possible, officials urged people to postpone trips until later in the day after temperatures inch upward.
King County crews encounter headaches as snowstorm barrels across region
January 18, 2012
NEW — 2:45 p.m. Jan. 18, 2012
The snowstorm pummeling the Puget Sound region is causing transportation headaches across King County, officials said Wednesday afternoon as road crews attempted to keep major arteries open to traffic.
Officials said no county road is escaping the impact of the latest winter storm.
County Road Services Division crews reported hazardous driving conditions along and several road closures across the region. The county focused mostly on plowing and sanding along the major roadways throughout the county, such as Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast.
Countywide, about 150 field staffers continue to work 12-hour shifts to support 24-hour operations. That around-the-clock schedule is due to continue until conditions improve.
Snowplow crews toil day and night to clear Issaquah streets
January 18, 2012
Kyle Patterson, a city snowplow driver, maneuvers through the Montreux neighborhood to remove snow from streets Tuesday afternoon. By Warren Kagarise
NEW — 8 a.m. Jan. 18, 2012
Come winter, the nonstop struggle between man and Mother Nature unfolds in a teeth-rattling ride aboard city snowplows.
Snow, split into quarters from tire tracks, clung to the streets late Tuesday afternoon in Montreux, a tony neighborhood on Cougar Mountain named for a city in the Swiss Alps. In methodical maneuvers, city snowplow driver Kyle Patterson edged back and forth along cul-de-sac after cul-de-sac, pushing snow from the roadway to form dirt-flecked berms along the street.
Snow blankets region, but officials report few headaches — so far
January 17, 2012
Snow blanketed Issaquah and the Puget Sound region Jan. 15 and 16, as officials and residents prepared for more challenging conditions in the days ahead.
The potential for more snow — plus flooding as the snow melted — reminded emergency planners to gird for harsh La Niña conditions, albeit later in the season than expected.
“It’s going to be pretty messy in the next couple of days,” said Johnny Burg, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Seattle. “People should just pay attention to the forecast.”
Use caution on roads as soggy conditions continue
November 23, 2011
NEW — 4 p.m. Nov. 23, 2011
Rain is expected to continue on Thanksgiving and through the holiday weekend.
King County Road Services Division officials reminded motorists to watch for road closures due to flooding or blockages. Motorists should use caution on the road, and monitor the latest road closure information before heading out. Never drive around barricades or through standing water.
King County remains under a flood watch as officials monitor flood-prone rivers. Issaquah Creek flooding is not expected to occur.
National Weather Service meteorologists said rain is expected during the day on Thanksgiving and Friday. Black Friday shoppers can encounter soggy conditions before 10 a.m.
More rain is in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
Snowfall dusts Issaquah Alps as cold temperatures linger
November 18, 2011
Light snowfall dusted the Forest Rim neighborhood on Squak Mountain early Friday morning. By Warren Kagarise
NEW — 10:45 a.m. Nov. 18, 2011
Snowfall dusted the Issaquah Alps overnight and into early Friday morning, as meteorologists predicted more light snow for the area in the coming days.
Snow coated trees on Cougar, Squak and Tiger mountains, but roads remained clear. Residents in Forest Rim awoke to a dusting similar to powdered sugar. Snow clung to cars, rooftops and shrubbery in the highest-elevation neighborhood on Squak Mountain.
Snow is forecast for Issaquah, but accumulation is not
November 17, 2011
NEW — 7 p.m. Nov. 17, 2011
Temperatures in the low 30s and a drop in the snow level mean snow is possible overnight Thursday in the Issaquah area.
National Weather Service meteorologists in Seattle said rain should continue overnight and then possibly turn to snow in the early morning hours. The snow level is also expected to dip to 900 feet overnight.
(The summit of Tiger Mountain is 3,004 feet above sea level and the Issaquah Highlands start at about 500 feet above sea level.)
Forecasters expect little or no snow accumulation Thursday and Friday.
Expect snow and rain Friday morning, although the precipitation is expected to turn rain only after 10 a.m. Forecasters said the snow level should dip to 400 feet Friday night.
Expect cold temperatures and, maybe, snowfall
November 16, 2011
NEW — 8 a.m. Nov. 16, 2011
Expect blustery, soggy conditions throughout Wednesday and, perhaps, snow in the days ahead.
National Weather Service meteorologists in Seattle predict winds between 16 and 24 mph in the Issaquah area during the day and into the night.
Meanwhile, expect a soaking as a low-pressure system moves from the Gulf of Alaska into the Pacific Northwest.
Come Friday night, as the snow level dips from 1,000 feet to 300 feet and low temperatures fall into the upper 20s, lowland residents in the Issaquah area could see snowflakes. (The summit of Tiger Mountain is 3,004 feet above sea level and the Issaquah Highlands start at about 500 feet above sea level.)
Meteorologists said little or no accumulation is expected.
