Use safety precautions to stay cool as mercury rises
August 15, 2012
NEW — 12:15 p.m. Aug. 15, 2012
The mercury is expected to surpass 90 degrees Wednesday and in the days ahead, and as temperatures rise, so do the risks for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
National Weather Service meteorologists in Seattle forecast highs of 89 for Wednesday, 95 for Thursday and 96 for Friday — hot enough to trigger a regional excessive heat watch. Thursday and Friday could rank among the hottest days of 2012.
State public health officials recommend for people seeking relief from high temperatures to visit air-conditioned places, such as public libraries, shopping malls or movie theaters. Even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help people stay cooler once they get back into the heat.
In Issaquah, city officials monitor the community through the police department and other resources before making a decision to open a public cooling station.
Snow prompts Issaquah School District to delay classes
March 13, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. March 13, 2012
Snow blanketed the Issaquah area overnight and led the Issaquah School District to operate on a two-hour delay Tuesday morning.
Because of the delay, district officials canceled all before-school activities, including morning school-age care, Headstart, morning and afternoon preschool, morning and afternoon kindergarten, and out-of-district transportation.
In addition, full-day kindergarten starts two hours late due to the snow.
Spots in the Issaquah area and other areas in the Cascade foothills received several inches of snow overnight. Motorists should exercise caution on state Route 18 across the Tiger Mountain summit.
National Weather Service forecasters in Seattle said snow is not expected to accumulate throughout the morning. The temperature is expected to climb into the mid-40s and the snow level is expected to rise to about 1,000 feet.
Meteorologists issue wind advisory for Issaquah, Puget Sound lowlands
March 11, 2012
NEW — 6 p.m. March 11, 2012
National Weather Service meteorologists issued a wind advisory due to the potential for winds of more than 30 mph and gusts of more than 50 mph.
The advisory — for Issaquah and the East Puget Sound lowlands — is in effect until 1 p.m. Monday.
Forecasters issue a wind advisory if the possibility exists for sustained winds of 30 to 39 mph and gusts of 45 to 57 mph.
The advisory comes as a strong front makes landfall Sunday night and early Monday.
Strong winds can topple trees and cause power outages.
National Weather Service issues flood watch for King County
February 21, 2012
NEW — 6 a.m. Feb. 21, 2012
National Weather Service meteorologists issued a flood watch for King County late Monday, as rain continues to pelt the region.
The flood watch is in effect for King County and other Western Washington counties until Thursday afternoon.
Meteorologists said heavy rain is forecast in the Cascades through Wednesday morning. The snow level is expected to rise to 6,000 to 7,000 feet above the Central Cascades during the same period.
Though the highest flooding risk is for rivers flowing from the mountains, increased precipitation in the area could cause Issaquah Creek to rise.
City officials base Issaquah Creek flood warnings on real-time data from a gauge upstream from Issaquah in Hobart. The system usually provides hours of lead time before flooding impacts Issaquah.
Cleanup continues after snowstorm and ice cause havoc
January 24, 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
In the days after a snowstorm pummeled the region, blackout chased whiteout, as residents uneasy about thorny commutes and missed meetings instead confronted sinking temperatures and toppling trees — all sans electricity.
The major snowstorm dropped 3 to 6 inches across the Issaquah area Jan. 18, but the struggle started the next day, as a rare ice storm led to widespread power outages and caused trees to send ice- and snow-laden branches earthward.
The harsh conditions tested road crews, prompted spinouts and fender benders around the region, and led officials to cancel school for almost a week.
“It was like a 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 punch,” Bret Heath, city Public Works Operations and emergency management director, said Jan. 23, as cleanup efforts continued. “For awhile there, I wasn’t sure if we were ever going to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Crews restore power to some Issaquah residents, but others wait
January 20, 2012
NEW — 6 p.m. Jan. 20, 2012
Puget Sound Energy crews had restored power to many Issaquah neighborhoods by early Friday evening, but large swaths remained in the dark as workers race to restore power across the region.
Downtown residents reported power coming back just after 5:30 p.m. Crews restored power for residents in some areas, including the Issaquah Highlands, late Thursday.
Puget Sound Energy estimated 8,876 customers in Issaquah without power early Friday evening — down from about 18,000 customers without power midday Thursday. Crews continue to work on restoring power to the areas left in the dark.
Still, despite the success, officials remained concerned about the possibility of additional weather challenges in the days ahead.
In Issaquah, power outage, travel headaches continue for another day
January 20, 2012
Rodney Amburgey, a lineman with City Pacific Services contracted to Puget Sound Energy, works Jan. 20 to secure a broken and dangling utility pole crossbeam at Southeast May Valley Road and 231st Place Southeast. By Greg Farrar
NEW — 6:30 a.m. Jan. 20, 2012
Though the forecast calls for temperatures to inch upward Friday, effects from a major snowstorm and rare ice storm continue to impact Issaquah residents.
Puget Sound Energy estimated 11,235 customers remained without power in Issaquah at 6:10 a.m. — a drop from the more than 18,000 left in the dark Thursday. Difficult road conditions continue to challenge motorists on city streets and roads in unincorporated King County.
City road crews continue to focus on maintaining priority routes and removing downed trees from the roadway. Numerous roads in Issaquah and nearby areas closed Thursday due to fallen trees and downed power lines.
Downed trees prompt state Route 900, Southeast 56th Street road closures
January 19, 2012
NEW — 10 a.m. Jan. 19, 2012
Downed trees and power lines prompted road closures on state Route 900 in Issaquah and rural King County early Thursday morning.
Crews responded a downed tree and power lines before 7:50 a.m. between Northwest Talus Drive and the southern city limits. The stretch between the access road to the Talus urban village and the city line remains closed as Puget Sound Energy crews tend to the downed tree.
Outside city limits, in rural King County, the state Department of Transportation said state Route 900 is closed at Southeast May Valley Road due to a downed tree.
In Issaquah, Southeast 56th Street from 229th Avenue Southeast to East Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast is closed due to downed power lines.
The closures came as ice weighted down trees and power lines, contributing to road closures and power outages throughout the region.
PSE reported more than 12,000 customers in the Issaquah area without power at 9:55 a.m.
Crews continue snow removal on Issaquah streets as flood concern rises
January 19, 2012
NEW — 5 a.m. Jan. 19, 2012
City road crews labored throughout the night and morning to remove snow and treat Issaquah streets, as officials and residents prepare for another day of snow-snarled commutes.
Roads remain open and snowplows continue to focus on Priority 1 routes — important arteries and access to hillside communities. Crews intend to address side streets as conditions allow. (Officials divide streets into priority levels for snow removal.)
Officials canceled all programs at the Issaquah Community Center and Julius Boehm Pool for Thursday. Call 837-3300 or go to the city website for updates on possible drop-in hours.
Expect rain and snow before 10 a.m. Thursday. Temperatures should rise into the upper 30s throughout the day. More rain and snow is expected Thursday night.
Roads remain open as snow covers Issaquah, more lingers in forecast
January 18, 2012
Snow blankets downtown Issaquah on Wednesday morning as a King County Metro Transit bus heads north along Front Street South. By Kathleen R. Merrill
NEW — 9:15 a.m. Jan. 18, 2012
Snowfall greeted Issaquah residents Wednesday morning, as a less-severe-than-predicted snowstorm still left deep snow in local neighborhoods, especially areas at higher elevations.
