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Monster storm to Impact Pacific Northwest This Weekend


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#1 Lightning

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Posted 15 October 2016 - 02:13 PM

Remnants of typhoon Songda, whose origins were thousands of miles away in the western Pacific, have been sucked into an existing storm which arrives in the Seattle area Saturday evening.  Is sure to disrupt rail service throughout Western Washington.

 

From the Seattle Times.


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#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 15 October 2016 - 07:31 PM

BNSF Service Advisory:
 

 

To: All BNSF Customers

 

10/14/2016

Severe Weather to Impact Pacific Northwest This Weekend

High wind watches are in effect for western Washington and Oregon as a powerful storm system is expected to impact the Pacific Northwest this weekend. The harshest conditions are expected late Saturday into Sunday as some coastal areas could experience wind gusts of over 65 miles per hour. Several more inches of rain, as well as snow in the higher elevations, is also expected. Along with the potential for flooding and mudslides, widespread tree damage and significant power outages are likely.

BNSF crews will be monitoring the conditions closely. If warranted, we will activate our Command Center to manage storm response around the clock. We are prepared to implement procedures to maximize safety and to minimize potential service disruptions through the region. BNSF crews are also ready to quickly respond to any washouts and the need for track repairs.

In addition to severe weather in the Pacific Northwest, we have experienced some recent service challenges in northern Montana. Heavy train flows and other factors, including flooding issues along our main line near Glasgow, have negatively impacted performance. We continue to work with the Montana Rail Link (MRL) in utilizing alternative routes to alleviate congestion. Customers tracing their freight may notice nonstandard routings, locations and interchanges. Some traffic re-routing could lead to longer overall transit times by several days compared to normal conditions.

 

 



#3 KevinKorell

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Posted 15 October 2016 - 07:36 PM

Amtrak concurs, though they are not too specific in this alert as to what will be impacted.
 

Pacific Northwest Storm Advisory

 
Due to a Pacific Northwest storm impacting Washington, Oregon and parts of Northern California this weekend, Amtrak service may be affected by heavy winds and rain. Depending on the conditions, service my be delayed, modified, or rerouted due to hazards created by the storm. Amtrak passengers are advised to check Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for the latest update on your train's status.
 
Amtrak regrets any inconvenience. This information is correct as of the above time and date. Information is subject to change as conditions warrant.
 
Passengers with travel plans can confirm their train's status, change their plans or review refund information using a range of tools – including http://amtrak.com/, smartphone apps or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. Service Alerts, Passenger Notices and other announcements are posted at http://Amtrak.com/alerts  .



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#4 Lightning

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Posted 16 October 2016 - 10:17 AM

The storm blew through last evening, but was weaker than expected.  In fact Friday's "precursor" seems to have been stronger.  Forecasters are dissecting what "went wrong".  That said, we have had inches of rain in recent days and precip is expected to continue for the next few days, so any disruptions might henceforth be in the form of mudslides.  Of course as Sounder does not operate weekends (except for sport or entertainment events, as a Seahawks train today, actually) that wouldn't have applied in either case.  No alerts as of 8 AM Sunday for today's Seahawk special on the ST website.


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#5 Lightning

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Posted 04 November 2016 - 01:05 AM

I am happy to report that despite a Sea-Tac airport record-breaking* just shy of ten inches of rain in October, there were no mudslides on the Sounder north route (which is, of course, the BNSF mainline from Seattle to Everett). Seems all of that hard work to stabilize the slopes has paid off.  Which is not to say there won't be any slides this winter, but we are off to a good start**.

 

* From the 1890's to 1946, weather-related records were done at the old downtown Federal building.  In 1946 record keeping moved to Sea-Tac airport.  I don't have the earlier records handy--there could very well have been a rainier October, but at least it's the heaviest since 1946.

 

** In Seattle the "rain year" runs from October 1 through September 30.  So rainfall is recorded both for a calendar year and also for a rain year.

 

 


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