Yesterday I received an email from our local Chamber of Commerce, forwarded from the City of Maple Valley regarding a NOAA (National Oceanic Atmospheric Association) storm warning. The language of the email was pretty concerning:
"NOAA considers a warning to be an imminent or occurring weather event. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION AND CONSIDERED TO BE AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM. People should plan to stay indoors if at all possible starting Saturday morning."
Maple Valley is located close to the Cascade Mountain foothills and often bears the brunt of the wind storms (along with Northbend & Enumclaw). We typically will experience wind storms at least once during the winter. But this storm is predicted to be as strong (or stronger) a storm we experienced back in 2003 when the greater Maple Valley area was without power for nearly a week. They are saying we may experience gusts of up to 90 MPH with sustained winds in the 55 MPH range.
During the 2003 windstorm we were awakened about 5:30 am by a loud THUD, when a tree hit our house. Fortunately, the top of the tree was already dying, so it cracked at the right spot. Had it been a bigger tree, my youngest son may not be with us today. (It was directly over his bed). The morning of that storm, I remember trying to get my 12 year old Golden Retreiver outside to do his thing (he'd been inside all night for petesake!). The winds were so loud it sounded like a 747 was overing 10' over our roof. The sound is what I will remember forever, and it is what I think about whenever I watch Hurricane footage.
A report on Q13's website yesterday, quotes a local meteorologist :
"It's going to be wicked and dangerous in the Cascade foothills, especially Northbend, Maple Valley, Black Diamond & Enumclaw....It's going to be major"
Predicting the weather in the Puget Sound area is not easy because things can change very quickly. I only hope this time they have over exaggerated. And if not, I hope everyone heeds the warning and stays safe.
Colleen Fischesser is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Select in Maple Valley, WA. She has been successfully selling and marketing properties all over South King & North Pierce counties since 1990 but specializes in the Maple Valley Washington area. .She may be contacted directly at: 425-432-5400
Copyright 2008, All Rights Reserved Colleen Fischesser
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Broker, Owner, Wife, Mom, Friend & generally Fun Person(if I do say so myself) Serving South King & North Pierce Counties. Specializing in Single Family Residential marketing & sales since 1990!
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Colleen - Mother Nature is delivering some powerful weather this winter. Stay safe, and if your power does not go off you can always blog.
LOL, Norma I think the worst part of having no power is really having no internet access. Hello my name is Colleen and I'm an internet addict :-)
Colleen - I hope it's not as bad as they're predicting. Stay home and stay safe! :)
This weather is SO unusual for Seattle and Eastside. Does Maple Valley usually get more snow than "Seattle"?
Colleen - My family is spread from Whidbey Island to Camas... The weather reports that they have been giving me are nuts... I grew up on Whidbey and we never had "extreme" weather like this.
Stay safe and let us know how you are doing. Hopefully, the storm won't do any major damage.
Yikes... That's some rough sounding weather you guys are in for. I hope you weather the storm without incident, Colleen.
Thanks Debi, it wasn't as bad as predicted (Thankfully!)
Ardell, I think Maple Valley does typically get more snow and higher winds given the proximity to the Foothills and higher elevations. I'm closer to Hobart and am about 400 ft higher than the City of Maple Valley proper. Fortunately we didn't lose power. YEA!
Debbie, need a partner in Florida? UGH, we've had some ridiculous Christmas weather these last few years!
Colleen, all's well. Didn't sleep very well because the winds were so high but we didn't lose power which is the BEST Christmas gift ever!
Jesse, thanks. I"m thinking I'm perfectly acclimated now for a Fairbanks visit. (Although something tells me our puny little 17 degrees is nothing compared to what you have to deal with daily!)
I know what it's like to have a tree hit the house, Colleen. Thank goodness it didn't do more damage to yours! Hey, and quit sending all this rain to northern California, why doncha?
Colleen - Hope you stay safe... not to mention warm & cozy. Here in Florida we're hoping for a cold front by xmas. Anything for a chance to wear my new red sweater! So far today it feels about 80 degrees. Send some of that cold wind this way!
Wow, this sounds awful! I hope you were spared the fierce winds and have power and little damage. In NC we have been spared from this vicious series of storms but it is incredible how many of our AR friends to the North have suffered.
Are you surviving all the weather! Crazy huh??? I couldn't believe that it was snowing AGAIN today! And it is only December, what will the rest of winter be like???? Hope you had a great Christmas!
...geri
Colleen - You're welcome here anytime... It's sunny and in the 70's today. I've been getting pictures of snow from all of my family spread around the state.