SEATTLE — A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation's latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

"Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we've seen in many years," he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

"Doesn't matter where you're going, expect it to take a very. long. time," the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow. Scores of flights were canceled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

"This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now," he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and deicer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn't have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn't fazed by the forecast.

"I love it. I'm excited about it," she said of the snow. "I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they're not so used to it. It's like, 'Use your brain! If you don't have to go out, don't go out.'"</s>Feb. 9 (UPI) -- The state of Washington has been hit by a major snowstorm as Seattle recorded more than half a foot of snow by Saturday morning, topping the city's yearly average.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reported 6.4 inches of snow Friday and 7.9 inches by 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle. The city averages about an inch less than that annually, NWS meteorologist Jacob DeFlitch told The Seattle Times.

It was the second-largest snowfall recorded in one day in the past 20 years, only exceeded by 6.8 inches on Jan. 18, 2012, according to the NWS. It's also the fourth time the region has had 6 inches of snow in one day since 1991. The most snow in one day at the airport was 20 inches on Jan. 13, 1950.

Elsewhere, 21.5 inches were reported along the Port Angeles foothills and 10.7 inches in the city. Eighteen inches were tallied in Agnew, 16 inches in Sequim and 11 inches in Port Orchard.

The NWS calculated 2.5 inches of new snow equates to 0.15 inches of liquid. "That's quite fluffy by Seattle standards," the NWS tweeted.

And more snow is on the way.

More than 15 million people across the Western United States were under winter storm alerts Saturday morning, according to CNN meteorologist Haley Brink.

"Everyone in our state needs to focus on preparing for the snow and staying safe," Inslee said in a statement. "Weather forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we've seen in many years. I encourage everyone to stay off the roads if possible and plan ahead if you must travel."

Residents are also dealing with gusty winds and cold temperatures.

"Winds gusting to 30-40 mph across most of Washington will cause blowing and drifting of snow to continue, especially east of the Cascades, on Saturday," Dan Pydynowski, an AccuWeather senior meteorologist said.

Gusts could reach 60 mph in the northern Puget Sound and Olympic region.

Seattle's high is forecast for 35 degrees Fahrenheit with the normal high 49 degrees, CNN's Brink said. The windchill would feel like it's in the teens.

The weather is creating treacherous road conditions as local law enforcement urged people to stay off the roads.

Officials shut down a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 90 east of Ellensburg due to blowing and drifting snow and poor visibility.

The Interstate-5 corridor, including Siskiyou Summit in Oregon, will be difficult to use.

In Washington, more than 60,000 people were without power, including more than 22,000 in Thurston County, according to Poweroutage.us as of 11 a.m. Saturday.

Earlier this week, about half a foot of snow hit some area of Seattle from an earlier snowstorm.</s>PORTLAND, Ore. — The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 7 p.m. Friday through 4 p.m. Saturday, calling for 2 to 4 inches to fall.

The weather service says up to 6 inches could fall at elevations 1,000 feet or higher.

"Plan on snow and ice covered roads tonight and Saturday," the NWS said Friday. "Travel conditions will deteriorate quickly tonight as temperatures fall below freezing. There is a small chance freezing may occur before this evening`s commute is over."

Some school districts in the Portland metro area and Clark County have re-scheduled or canceled events planned for Friday night and over the weekend.

Bookmark this page for weather delays and closures!

"Snow will quickly taper off Saturday evening as very cold air arrives, dropping valley temps to near 20 degrees," Hill said. "Sunday looks mostly dry with flurries and daytime highs near 32 degrees. Keep an eye Sunday evening for a second weather system dropping one to three inches of accumulation in Portland into Monday morning."

Hill said 1 to 2 inches of snow could fall at the Oregon Coast on Saturday, 4 to 8 inches in the Coast Range, and 6 to 12 inches in the Cascade foothills.

Hill said some forecast models show the possibility of several inches of snow through Wednesday. During a Facebook live chat on Thursday, KGW chief meteorologist Matt Zaffino said that scenario is not out of the question, but added there's a low-percentage chance the metro area gets that much snow.

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With this latest storm, nearly 5 feet of snow could fall on Mount Hood from through next Tuesday, according to Zaffino. Over 4 feet could fall at HooDoo ski area and nearly 4 feet at Mount Bachelor.

The weekend snow storm follows one that created problems on the roads Monday and led to school closures throughout southwest Washington and western Oregon on Tuesday.</s>Some areas around Seattle received more than 10 inches of snow Saturday, the most in 70 years, the National Weather Service said, and more is on the way two more storm systems close in on the area. The National Weather Service said the first storm system is expected to arrive in the area Sunday night with light accumulation, and the second system will push through Monday and continue into Tuesday.Meanwhile, cold temperatures are expected in the region overnight Saturday, with temperatures dropping to 15-20 degrees and the wind chill in the single digits.The National Weather Service saidNearly 8 inches of snow fell at Seattle-Tacoma Airport, where hundreds of flights were cancelled, CBS News' Carter Evans reports. The storm obscured the famous Space Needle and left a blanket of snow over some very iconic locations, like Pike Place Market. Heavy snow did do some damage in Yosemite National Park, where they got up to two feet in some areas.In Tacoma, hundreds of people turned out for a snowball fight in a park after someone who lives nearby suggested it on Facebook. They took cover behind picnic tables and used sleds as shields."This is a perfect morning to bundle up and play in the snow, but stay off the roads if possible," Gov. Jay Inslee wrote on Twitter.In central Washington, blowing snow and drifts 3 to 4 feet deep forced the closure of U.S. 2 and Interstate 90. The Grant County Sheriff's Office warned that snow drifts were blocking many roads. Airports in eastern Washington closed, and numerous car crashes were reported."Snow conditions are worsening minute to minute, so don't expect travel conditions to improve," the sheriff's office wrote.The National Weather Service said additional snow could fall Saturday, and another storm was expected early next week.About 180 people spent the night at an emergency shelter set up at Seattle Center, with officials going out again on Saturday to get other homeless residents to safety. Inslee declared a state of emergency over the storm. The state transportation department said crews had to clear several trees that had fallen across roads in the Tacoma area.In Portland, a tanker truck slid into a sport-utility vehicle on an interchange between Interstates 5 and 84 on Saturday, blocking the ramp for hours.Other parts of the country were also wrestling with difficult weather. Residents of Hawaii were bracing for coastal flooding amid extreme surf predictions. A California man died in rough waters off of Maui on Friday, Hawaii News Now reported.In California, m ore than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued Thursday after being trapped by up to 7 feet of snow in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.Another winter storm was on the way to the region.In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers lost power in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.In Washington, about 50,000 people lost power. In Seattle, snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.Residents in Portland and Seattle who are more accustomed to rain than snow waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn't have a car.Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn't fazed by the forecast."I love it. I'm excited about it," she said of the snow. "I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they're not so used to it. It's like, 'Use your brain! If you don't have to go out, don't go out.' "</s>SEATTLE — There are several inches of snow in the forecast Friday night.

Most of the snow will stop by 4 a.m. Saturday.

Most of the Seattle metro area is expected to get about four inches of snow, but there will be some bigger numbers near Highway 101 from Shelton to Port Angeles. Areas that get the most snow include the foothills, the convergence zone and the Hood Canal.

Remember, “micro climates” will have six or more inches. The Fraser River outflow started at 2 p.m. Howling winds from the north will make it feel really cold, but that air is a little drier, so less snow is expected in the north tonight.

Saturday will have less snow, but it will be very windy for all. Snow and ice are here to stay through the weekend, with the next round of snow coming Sunday.
• Download the free Q13 News app to be alerted to severe weather
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• Get the latest traffic information here</s>Snow fell in much of southwest Washington and northwest Oregon Friday night and Saturday morning, although snow totals varied widely across the region.

Heavy snow fell in Clark and Cowlitz counties in southwest Washington, where snowfall began late Friday afternoon. The National Weather Service said Longview got 7 inches of snow, Camas got 8 inches, and parts of Vancouver got 4 inches.

Although the snow arrived later, east Multnomah County also got several inches of snow. A foot of snow fell at Bonneville Dam and six inches was reported in Gresham, according to the National Weather Service. Four inches fell in Troutdale and parts of east Portland got 2-4 inches, according to the weather service.

Downtown Portland got between a dusting and two inches of snow, which arrived early Saturday morning.

How much did it snow in your neighborhood? Check here!

The metro area west and south of Portland, such as Lake Oswego, Beaverton and Hillsboro, didn't get more than a dusting. Areas west of Hillsboro, such as Forest Grove, got a few inches of snow.

Similarly to the disparity in snowfall, there was a significant difference in road conditions. Areas that received several inches of snow had icy roads Saturday morning, which led to numerous crashes. But roads in the metro area west of Portland were in good shape.

RELATED: Icy roads leads to several crashes in Portland area following snow

Picture on the left shows dry roads on Highway 26 near Bethany. Picture on the right shows Interstate 205 at Prescott on the east side of Portland

Drivers should expect snow-covered roads in the Columbia River Gorge, Coast Range and Cascades, where snow amounts reached 6 inches or more.

Portland General Electric reported a number of outages, mostly in Clackamas and Washington counties due to weather conditions, equipment failures and at least on crash.

Pacific Power was reporting a number of outages in southern Oregon.

Clark Public Utilities had several thousand outages, but service was mostly restored by mid-morning Saturday.

Many school districts in the Portland metro area and Clark County re-scheduled or canceled events planned for over the weekend.

Bookmark this page for weather delays and closures!

Snow flurries were falling in parts of Portland Saturday afternoon. KGW meteorologist Rod Hill said snow showers continue to be possible but most areas will likely see flurries.

"A dusting to 2 inches could fall in slow-moving snow bands. The best chance for measurable snowfall will be west of I-5 and south of Portland," Hill said.

Saturday night is expected to be mostly dry with chilling temperatures that drop into the low 20s.

Snow could be back on Sunday.

"Sunday daytime looks mostly dry, but snow picks up Sunday afternoon, or a possible rain mix depending on temperatures," Hill said. "Sunday evening could see an icy mix if temps fall below 32 degrees, otherwise all rain is expected into the day Monday."

More snow is possible on Tuesday, according to Hill.

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With this latest storm, nearly five feet of snow could fall on Mount Hood from last Thursday through next Tuesday, according to Zaffino. Over four feet could fall at HooDoo ski area and nearly four feet at Mount Bachelor.

The weekend snow storm follows one that created problems on the roads Feb. 4 and led to school closures throughout southwest Washington and western Oregon on Feb.5.</s>Seattle – A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation’s latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

“Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we’ve seen in many years,” he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

“Doesn’t matter where you’re going, expect it to take a very. long. time,” the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches of snow. Scores of flights were canceled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

“This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now,” he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn’t have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn’t fazed by the forecast.

“I love it. I’m excited about it,” she said of the snow. “I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they’re not so used to it. It’s like, ‘Use your brain! If you don’t have to go out, don’t go out.’”</s>SEATTLE (AP) — A winter storm pounded Washington state Friday, forcing the cancellation of 200 flights in Seattle as officials worked to get people off the streets and into shelters during the nation’s latest bout with winter weather.

Snow began falling north of Seattle with some areas recording 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow before it made its way south and enveloped the city.

Many businesses closed early so workers could get home.

Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency, saying everyone in the state should focus on staying safe.

“Forecasters predict this may be a storm unlike one we’ve seen in many years,” he said.

In California, more than 120 visitors and staff members were rescued after being snowbound in a Sierra Nevada resort for five days.

Up to 7 feet (2 meters) of snow had trapped the guests and staff beginning Sunday at Montecito Sequoia Lodge in Kings Canyon National Park, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Alicia Embrey said.

Crews had to travel by snowmobile to get to the lodge in mountains east of Fresno. Heavy equipment and crews then cleared more than 20 fallen trees and 8 miles (13 kilometers) of deep snow on the road leading to the lodge to allow guests and staff to leave the property Thursday night.

Another winter storm was on the way to the region.

In Yosemite National Park, as many as 50 housing structures near Half Dome Village were damaged by trees toppled during a snowstorm earlier this week, displacing more than 160 employees who provide food, lodging and other services for visitors.

Elsewhere, more than 148,000 customers were without electricity in Michigan following days of freezing rain. The Consumers Energy utility said power would be restored by late Sunday.

In Seattle, officials urged people to stay off the roads as traffic slowed to a standstill in some places because of the snow.

“Doesn’t matter where you’re going, expect it to take a very. long. time,” the Washington Department of Transportation said on Twitter.

Schools and colleges had canceled classes ahead of the storm expected to bring 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 centimeters) of snow. Scores of flights were cancelled or delayed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Snowfall from Sunday and Monday lingered into the week as below-freezing temperatures gripped the area. A 59-year-old man died Thursday from exposure at a Seattle light rail station.

Additional shelter space opened by city and county officials was filling up. The city was focused on people who are willing to come inside, Will Lemke, spokesman for the Seattle Human Services Department, told the Seattle Times.

“This is an extreme weather event, and offering shelter is the most important thing we can do right now,” he said.

Forecasters said Portland, Oregon, could get up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) of snow later in the day, with two more snowstorms expected to hit the city next week.

Residents in Portland and Seattle, two cities where rain is more common than snow in the winter, emptied grocery store shelves and waited in long lines to buy shovels and de-icer.

Autumn Sang was at a mobbed grocery store in Tualatin, Oregon, on Friday stocking up for the coming storm for herself and her neighbor, who is disabled and doesn’t have a car.

Sang said she had never seen the store so crowded. She grew up in southern Oregon, where snow is more common, and wasn’t fazed by the forecast.

“I love it. I’m excited about it,” she said of the snow. “I think that Portlanders, most of them are city people and they come from a lot of different places, so they’re not so used to it. It’s like, ‘Use your brain! If you don’t have to go out, don’t go out.'”

AP journalists Amanda Lee Myers in Los Angeles and Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report.</s>This post was originally published on this site

U.S. NEWS Winter storm dumps record snow on Seattle, Pacific Northwest with more to come https://linewsradio.com/winter-storm-dumps-record-snow-on-seattle-pacific-northwest-with-more-to-come/ http://abcnewsradioonline.com/national-news/

ABC News(SEATTLE) — A potent storm brought heavy snow to parts of the Pacific Northwest on Friday, including the lowland areas of the Seattle metropolitan area. This was the second round of snow the region has seen this week.

Radar on Saturday morning is showing numerous bands of heavy snow in the Seattle metro area with snowfall rates greater than 1 inch per hour occurring in some areas. Some snow is also falling toward Portland, Oregon

Seattle has already received 6.4 inches of snow at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. This was a new daily record and the second-most snowfall in a single day in the past 20 years. It was also the most snow Seattle has received in a single day since 2012.

The storm will slide south during Saturday and bring some snow to Oregon and Northern California. The storm then will slide inland later Saturday and bring snow to the northern Rockies on Sunday and early Monday.

In Seattle, most of the snow will end during the day on Saturday, while heavy mountain snow will begin to pick up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains late Saturday.

Seattle could pick up a couple more inches of snow Saturday morning before the heaviest snow winds down. Meanwhile the heavy snow will move south and east. In the higher elevations of southern Washington and Oregon 3 to 6 inches of snow will fall, with locally up to 1 foot in the highest elevations.

The storm will combine with another system lurking near California to enhance the snowfall in the Sierra Nevadas over the weekend. Locally, 5 feet of additional snowfall will fall in the mountains this weekend.

After a week where the Northeast got several tastes of spring, it is back to February across the region.

Wind chills on Saturday morning are in the single digits across the Northeast after temperatures were in the 40s and 50s on Friday. This same arctic blast is bringing wind chills 30 below zero to parts of Minnesota and North Dakota.

A new storm will quickly develop in the central U.S. on Sunday and tap into some moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. The moisture interacting with the colder air will cause light snow to spread from Minneapolis to Pennsylvania during the day on Sunday. Meanwhile, heavy rain will move into the Tennessee and Mississippi valleys.

Another storm will develop right behind that one and bring a round of snow from the Midwest to the Northeast by Monday and Tuesday. This next storm looks a little stronger and taps into a little bit more moisture.

The result could be 2 to 4 inches of rain in the Mississippi River Valley, which could cause some flash flooding by Monday. Locally, 2 to 4 inches of snow will fall through Monday in parts of the Upper Midwest. And locally 1 to 3 inches of snow will fall in parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic through Monday.

However, it remains somewhat unclear what this storm does on Tuesday and Wednesday. There is some indication the storm will continue to strengthen and interact with another system in the Atlantic. The result could amplify the snowfall totals in both the Midwest and parts of New England by Tuesday and Wednesday.</s>Two weather systems will dump 3 to 6 inches of snow, sleet and freezing rain on York County through Tuesday.

Brett Rossio, a meteorologist at AccuWeather State College, said up to 6 inches are possible, but accumulation in York County will likely stay at the low end with 3 to 4 inches.

York County was expectjng1 to 2 inches of snow beginning late Sunday into Monday and possible freezing rain early Monday, and there could be icy patches on the roads during the Monday morning commute.

Monday will have a high of 36 degrees, Rossio said.

Beginning Monday afternoon and into the evening commute, Rossio said heavy snow will develop before changing over to a snow/sleet mix and eventually straight sleet late Monday night, with a total accumulation of 2 to 3 inches and a low temperature of 28 degrees.

More: Snow, sleet and freezing rain heading for York County

More: Winter weather possible for York County next week

Sleet will continue into Tuesday morning before changing to freezing rain. Rossio said he expects a high of 37 degrees Tuesday.

Rob Radzanowski, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College, said the forecast hasn't changed much since Saturday, Feb. 9. He predicted 1 to 2 inches of snow overnight Sunday.

"I think the snow will probably have ended by the morning commute tomorrow (Monday), but there still could be some residual slippery spots," he said.

Then late Monday afternoon and evening, a wintry mix of snow and sleet will continue before changing to freezing rain Tuesday morning and straight rain by midday.

Radzanowski said the greatest travel impact will likely be felt during the Tuesday morning commute.
Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area receive 10 inches (25 cm) of snow, the most in 70 years.