Ice Storm Knocks Out Snoqualmie Power; Snoqualmie Parkway Closed By Downed Power Line; PSE Updates

**  7:15PM:  Gateway Gas on Snoqualmie Ridge out of all gas, but expecting a half-load delivery at any time.  Delivery trucks having trouble getting to station.  **

**  7PM:  5,143 Snoqualmie, 4,019 North Bend and 601 Fall City Puget Sound Energy customers currently without power.  Tanner Electric customers being told 2 – 3 days to restore power**

**  7PM:  Snoqualmie City Hall was acting as daytime warming shelter for local valley residents.  It is now closed, but the new Snoqualmie Y / Community Center is open as an overnight warming shelter.  Heat, hot water and food available**

**  3:50PM:  Snoqualmie Valley Schools are closed tomorrow, Friday, January 20th **

**  2:30PM:  PSE says to plan on Snoqualmie Valley power outage lasting 2-3 more days  **

**  2PM:  National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the east Puget Sound lowlands which includes Snoqualmie.  The advisory expires Friday, 1/20, at 4AM.  It appears the temps won’t warm up enough to change to rain as forecast earlier.  It is now snowing. **

**  1:50PM:  Puget Sound Energy says 200,000 customers without power now.  Outages are scattered throughout hundreds of Western Washington locations. PSE has more than 150 line crews from several states already working to restore power, and 140 additional crews are en route from California. **

**  12:45PM:  PSE said at 9:21AM in email to Mayor Larson:  “Trees are coming down everywhere.  Local substations are down while full extent of damage is determined.  Some transmission lines west of Snoqualmie are playing havoc with Issaquah and Sammamish (15,000 customers) at this time.”  City officials are still awaiting an update from PSE.  Snoqualmie Parkway is still closed.  It is undetermined how long the closure will last.  **

**  11:30AM:  Snoqualmie City Hall is open as a temporary warming shelter.  Because Snoqualmie Parkway is closed, residents need to travel by I-90 and use exit 27 to get there.  Residents may bring food and beverages with them **

**  11AM:  From Snoqualmie City Hall:   Snoqualmie Parkway closed due to downed power line at Fisher Creek.  Officials awaiting PSE crews to remove/repair the live lines.  Parkway closed until then.  Do NOT approach live power lines.  Highway 202 closed near the Salish Lodge heading toward Fall City due to downed trees.  Preston-Fall City Road is closed.  City officials heard from PSE that power outages are expected to last through early afternoon.  They are still awaiting further confirmation. **

** 10:45AM:  Update from PSE:  “Based on the current weather forecast and extensive damage incurred to date, PSE estimates restoration efforts will continue into Friday, and perhaps into Saturday for areas such as Pierce and Thurston counties.  Currently there are 61 four-person power line crews and 35 two-person crews assisting with restoration efforts including crews from Oregon, southern Washington and Canada. An additional 12 crews have been called in from outside the region to arrive on Thursday to supplement restoration efforts and provide relief for crews who have been working since the beginning of the storm.”

**  10:15AM – Trees now cut and cleared from I-90.  **

**  10AM:  NOAA has extended Ice Storm Warning until 2PM.  It was originally due to expire at 12PM.  **

Most of Snoqualmie is without power at this hour due to today’s ice storm.  Puget Sound Energy says the outages are widespread in our region, mostly due to downed, ice covered trees.  Due to the sheer size of the outages, it might be awhile before power is restored.  Info from PSE:

“Heavy snowfall Wednesday followed by freezing rain Thursday morning is causing extensive power outages in Puget Sound Energy’s service area due to sagging or breaking tree limbs and falling trees. As of 8 a.m. Thursday, more than 90,000 PSE customers were without electric service, and more weather-related outages were occurring. PSE line crews are working around the clock to restore electric service as quickly as possible. Please take steps to stay safe and comfortable in the event your service is interrupted. If you haven’t already done so, prepare an emergency kit that includes extra blankets and battery-operated lighting.”

It is still in the upper 20’s in Snoqualmie.  The freezing rain is not due to let up until temperatures rise later this afternoon.  Here is the latest radar image.

Three eastbound lanes of I-90 near exit 25 are closed because of two massive downed trees.  All news outlets are urging residents not to drive.

Please leave comments with any related info you have.   Let us know how it is in North Bend and Fall City.