WEATHER ALERT
'Bomb cyclone' brings high winds and soaking rain to Northern California and Pacific Northwest
Read full article: 'Bomb cyclone' brings high winds and soaking rain to Northern California and Pacific NorthwestWhat is expected to be one of the strongest storms in the northwest U.S. in decades has arrived.
More logging is proposed to help curb wildfires in the US Pacific Northwest
Read full article: More logging is proposed to help curb wildfires in the US Pacific NorthwestU.S. officials are proposing increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest under changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades.
In Pacific Northwest, 2 toss-up US House races could determine control of narrowly divided Congress
Read full article: In Pacific Northwest, 2 toss-up US House races could determine control of narrowly divided CongressNational Republicans and Democrats are keenly eyeing the Pacific Northwest, where two of the most competitive U.S. House races in the country are playing out.
US promises $240 million to improve fish hatcheries, protect tribal rights in Pacific Northwest
Read full article: US promises $240 million to improve fish hatcheries, protect tribal rights in Pacific NorthwestThe U.S. government says it will invest $240 million in salmon and steelhead fish hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest.
US acknowledges Northwest dams have devastated the region's Native tribes
Read full article: US acknowledges Northwest dams have devastated the region's Native tribesThe U.S. government has acknowledged for the first time the harms that the construction and operation of dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest have caused Native American tribes.
White House, tribal leaders hail 'historic' deal to restore salmon runs in Pacific Northwest
Read full article: White House, tribal leaders hail 'historic' deal to restore salmon runs in Pacific NorthwestThe Biden administration, leaders of four Columbia River Basin tribes and the governors of Oregon and Washington have signed papers formally launching a $1 billion plan to help recover depleted salmon populations in the Pacific Northwest.
The Pacific Northwest braces for a new round of ice and freezing rain after deadly weekend storm
Read full article: The Pacific Northwest braces for a new round of ice and freezing rain after deadly weekend stormThe Pacific Northwest is bracing for more hazardous winter weather after a weekend storm that resulted in at least seven deaths.
Conservationists, tribes say deal with Biden administration is a road map to breach Snake River dams
Read full article: Conservationists, tribes say deal with Biden administration is a road map to breach Snake River damsThe U.S. government said Thursday it plans to spend $1 billion over the next decade to help recover depleted populations of salmon in the Pacific Northwest.
Leaked document says US is willing to build energy projects in case Snake River dams are breached
Read full article: Leaked document says US is willing to build energy projects in case Snake River dams are breachedIn a strong sign that the U.S. will consider breaching four controversial dams on the Snake River, a leaked Biden administration document says the government is prepared to help build clean energy projects to replace the power generated by the dams.
Biden memo directs US agencies to restore 'healthy and abundant' salmon runs in the Northwest
Read full article: Biden memo directs US agencies to restore 'healthy and abundant' salmon runs in the NorthwestPresident Joe Biden has directed federal agencies to use all available authorities and resources to restore “healthy and abundant” salmon runs in the Columbia River Basin, a move that conservationists and tribes call a potential breakthrough.
Killer whales damage boats in Spanish, Portuguese waters in puzzling new behavior
Read full article: Killer whales damage boats in Spanish, Portuguese waters in puzzling new behaviorA pod of killer whales repeatedly rammed a yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar this week, damaging it enough to require Spanish rescuers to come to the aid of its four crew members.
California seeks federal help for salmon fishers facing ban
Read full article: California seeks federal help for salmon fishers facing banCalifornia officials say they want federal disaster relief for the state’s salmon fishing industry after the 2023 fishing season for fall-run Chinook or king salmon was closed for much of the West Coast.
The big problem for endangered orcas? Inbreeding
Read full article: The big problem for endangered orcas? InbreedingNew research suggests that inbreeding may be a key reason that the Pacific Northwest’s endangered population of killer whales has failed to recover despite decades of conservation efforts.
Climate Questions: How much has the climate changed already?
Read full article: Climate Questions: How much has the climate changed already?From incrementally rising temperatures and seas to an influx of natural disasters, the climate right now certainly isn't the same as it was before the industrial era.
Extended triple-digit heat suspected in 4 deaths in Oregon
Read full article: Extended triple-digit heat suspected in 4 deaths in OregonTriple-digit heat is being investigated as the cause of death for four people in Oregon as a sweltering heat wave enveloped the Pacific Northwest and the forecast show no sign of letting up.
Heat wave a glimpse of climate change's impact in N. America
Read full article: Heat wave a glimpse of climate change's impact in N. AmericaA deadly heat wave in the Pacific Northwest last summer offers a glimpse of the types of extreme weather that a United Nations report says will become more common in North America with worsening climate change.
Deadly NW heat wave prompts effort to boost air conditioning
Read full article: Deadly NW heat wave prompts effort to boost air conditioningAfter a historic heat wave killed at least 220 people in Oregon and Washington, lawmakers in the Pacific Northwest are eyeing several emergency heat relief bills aimed at helping vulnerable people.
Flood watches issued in Northwest as some urged to evacuate
Read full article: Flood watches issued in Northwest as some urged to evacuateResidents in Washington are preparing for possible flooding as “atmospheric rivers” once again threaten parts of the Northwest, which saw heavy damage from extreme weather earlier this month.
Northwest heat wave targeted vulnerable, tested climate prep
Read full article: Northwest heat wave targeted vulnerable, tested climate prepThe unprecedented heat wave that swept the Pacific Northwest this summer killed scores of the region's most vulnerable who couldn't leave their homes, afford air conditioning or get a ride to public cooling centers.
Smoke, extreme heat pose harsh test for West Coast vineyards
Read full article: Smoke, extreme heat pose harsh test for West Coast vineyardsThe heat wave that recently hit the Pacific Northwest subjected the region’s vineyards to record-breaking temperatures nine months after the fields that produce world-class wine were blanketed by wildfire smoke.
Among the heat wave dead, a man of few words, but a big life
Read full article: Among the heat wave dead, a man of few words, but a big lifeOne of the people who died from heat-related issues during the Pacific Northwest’s record-breaking heat wave last week was a common face at the Washington state Capitol.
Hundreds believed dead in heat wave despite efforts to help
Read full article: Hundreds believed dead in heat wave despite efforts to helpAs forecasters warned of record-breaking temperatures in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada, officials set up cooling centers, distributed water to the homeless and took other steps.
'Only going to get hotter': Heat wave blasts Northwest
Read full article: 'Only going to get hotter': Heat wave blasts NorthwestThe Pacific Northwest sweltered Friday as a historic heat wave hit Washington and Oregon, with temperatures in many areas expected to top out 25 to 30 degrees above normal in the coming days.
Pacific Northwest braces for record-breaking heat wave
Read full article: Pacific Northwest braces for record-breaking heat waveRecord-high heat is forecast in the Pacific Northwest this weekend, raising concerns about wildfires and the health of people in a region where many don’t have air conditioning.
Forecast for spring: Nasty drought worsens for much of US
Read full article: Forecast for spring: Nasty drought worsens for much of USAnd nearly all of the continental United States is looking at warmer than normal spring, except for tiny parts of the Pacific Northwest and southeast Alaska, which makes drought worse. “It’s definitely something we’re watching and very concerned about.”NOAA expects the spring drought to hit 74 million people. AdMore than 44% of the nation is in moderate or worse drought, and nearly 18% is in extreme or exceptional drought — all of it west of the Mississippi River. AdWinter and spring wheat crops also have been hit hard by the western drought with 78% of the spring wheat production area in drought conditions, Rippey said. That leaves more of the energy to heat up the air, and the heat makes the drought worse by boosting evaporation.
Northwest storm kills 1, causes landslide and power outages
Read full article: Northwest storm kills 1, causes landslide and power outagesThe powerful wind storm that rolled through the Pacific Northwest killed one person and left a trail of damage. The storm nearly blew a tractor-trailer off a bridge in Washington state, caused a landslide in Oregon and left more than 500,000 people in the two states without power. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)SPOKANE, Wash. – A powerful wind storm rolled through the Pacific Northwest, killing one person and leaving a trail of damage -- including a highway shut down after a landslide and a tractor-trailer that was nearly blown off a bridge. The landslide was estimated to be 10 feet (3 meters) deep in some areas and too dangerous for search and rescue crews. “I could look down at the water (out my window), so I wasn’t going to open THAT door,” he said.
The Latest: India registers over 30,000 new virus cases
Read full article: The Latest: India registers over 30,000 new virus casesIt said the country was showing a trend of declining average daily cases over the last two months. Worldwide, more than 54 million coronavirus cases have been reported with more than 1.3 million deaths. ___CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia has set another weekly record for the number of confirmed coronavirus cases, even with one day left to count. The state set three daily marks for confirmed cases in the past week, including a record 821 cases on Friday. The seven-day rolling average for new daily cases stood at 145,400 on Saturday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The Latest: Washington gov. may announces new restrictions
Read full article: The Latest: Washington gov. may announces new restrictionsWashington state and county health officials have warned of a spike in coronavirus cases across the state, and pleaded with the public to take the pandemic more seriously heading into the winter holidays. The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care beds reached 362 on Friday, the most since late August. ___KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine has introduced tight weekend restrictions as the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases hit a national record. Health Minister Maxim Stepanov said Saturday that Ukraine registered 12,524 new confirmed cases, about 800 more than the previous day. Overall, Russia has reported 1,903.000 confirmed virus cases and 32,834 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Pacific Power utility sued over devastating Oregon wildfires
Read full article: Pacific Power utility sued over devastating Oregon wildfiresPORTLAND, Ore. – Three Pacific Northwest law firms have filed a class action lawsuit against the Pacific Power utility and its parent company, claiming they failed to shut down its power lines despite historically high winds and extremely dangerous wildfire conditions. The lawsuit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, names Jeanyne James and Robin Colbert as lead plaintiffs. The lawsuit alleged the high winds also toppled energized power lines that sparked some of the blazes. “Defendants’ energized power lines ignited massive, deadly and destructive fires that raced down the canyons, igniting and destroying homes, businesses and schools,” the lawsuit said. California’s largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, filed for bankruptcy after one of its transmission lines sparked the Camp fire in 2018.
Fires without precedent rage in usually cool, wet Northwest
Read full article: Fires without precedent rage in usually cool, wet NorthwestFarther north, flames devoured buildings and huge tracts of land in Washington state. Because of its cool, wet climate, the Pacific Northwest rarely experiences such intense fire activity. In Washington state, a fire burned more than 480,000 acres of forest, brush and shrubland, Washington Gov. Holland said Oregon State Police had warned him to leave earlier in the day, but the fire seemed far away and he decided to stay. ___Selsky reported from Salem, Oregon.
'Unprecedented' Pacific Northwest fires approach Portland
Read full article: 'Unprecedented' Pacific Northwest fires approach PortlandThe fires trapped firefighters and civilians behind fire lines in Oregon and leveled an entire small town in eastern Washington. About 80% of the small eastern Washington farming town of Malden was leveled by flames from a fast-moving fire on Monday. He blamed hot weather, high winds and low humidity for the explosive growth of the fires in Washington state. In Oregon, at least four major fires were burning in Clackamas County, a suburban county in Oregon that's a bedroom community of Portland. Near Eugene, Oregon, dozens of people ordered to evacuate on Tuesday couldn't get out because fire debris was blocking roads, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal.
Unprecedented Pacific Northwest fires burn hundreds of homes
Read full article: Unprecedented Pacific Northwest fires burn hundreds of homesHuge wildfires also continued to grow in neighboring Washington state. The fires trapped firefighters and civilians behind fire lines in Oregon and leveled an entire small town in eastern Washington. At least two people were reportedly killed in Oregon fires and a small child in blazes in Washington state. Holland said Oregon State Police had warned him to leave earlier in the day, but the fire seemed far away and he decided to stay. In Oregon, at least four major fires were burning in Clackamas County, a suburban county in Oregon that's a bedroom community of Portland.
Heat will stay stuck on extra high for July in most of US
Read full article: Heat will stay stuck on extra high for July in most of USAnd for most of America itll stay on through the rest of the month and maybe longer, meteorologists say. Its not a record-breaking heat wave, but it is notable for its persistence.This is a dangerous type of heat where people need to be careful about heat stroke, stay indoors and drink plenty of water, meteorologists said. The National Weather Service warned of excessive heat on Tuesday for 18 million people, but thats nothing compared to whats coming up. And it will likely feel even hotter in the South. Without extensive statistical and scientific analysis, meteorologists cant say for sure that the heat is due to global warming, Rosencrans said.
One storm leads to mid-June snow, severe storms and record heat across parts of the country
Read full article: One storm leads to mid-June snow, severe storms and record heat across parts of the countryThis front started off by dropping inches of snow in the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies. Heat advisories were in place for east Texas Tuesday and are in place Wednesday for parts of upstate New York and Philly. Heat advisories in the northeastIn between anomalous cold and anomalous heat, theres usually some very volatile weather. A rare Level 4 risk of severe weather is in place for parts of northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio and east Michigan. Wednesday's severe weather threatFor us, the weather will be fairly typical of mid-June.
Dead whale gives new life to debate over dams in Pacific Northwest
Read full article: Dead whale gives new life to debate over dams in Pacific NorthwestAfter the dams were built, gushing rivers became massive mill ponds of reservoirs, slowing the young salmon's journey to the sea. We also recognize the significant role of the Columbia River dams in providing reliable and affordable clean energy to the region." Inslee will wait for a federal environmental review on the costs and benefits of breaching the lower Snake River dams before taking a position. So spilling more water or doing different things like that doesn't cool down the temperature of the Columbia river," he says. Warm ocean water can affect the food sources for the salmon and deficits there will have impacts up the food chain.
Magnitude-4.6 earthquake shakes Pacific Northwest overnight
Read full article: Magnitude-4.6 earthquake shakes Pacific Northwest overnightThe epicenter was near Three Lakes, Washington, about 40 miles north of Seattle. An earthquake rocked some residents awake early Friday in the Pacific Northwest. The quake was a magnitude 4.6, the US Geological Survey reported, and its epicenter was near Three Lakes, Washington, about 40 miles north of Seattle. The earthquake was felt all the way to the Canadian border, the agency said. No tsunami warning was issued after the earthquake, according to a tweet from the US National Tsunami Warning Center.