A winter storm along America’s west coast has brought near record-breaking snowfall to cities such as Seattle and Portland, the second time in a week the region has been hit.
The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings from northern California to Washington state and west into Montana. The region is expected to receive more than 6in of snow, with more in the mountains.
Already, Seattle-Tacoma airport saw the second highest snowfall ever for a single day, at 6.4in, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters expect the snowstorms to continue into next week.
Radar loop shows swirl of low pressure approaching the south coast of WA. Moisture will continue to pivot north into the region through the night. Easterly flow near surface may act to enhance the snowfall over spots like Hood Canal & the Kitsap Peninsula in next few hours. #wawx pic.twitter.com/RDNEQ8Tgyl
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) February 9, 2019
Washington’s governor, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency because of the storms on Friday evening. More than 170 flights have been canceled into and out of Seattle-Tacoma Airport.
Seattle rarely sees large winter storms. In 2016, writers from the sunny Los Angeles Times dubbed the city “snow wimps”, writing that Seattle “always marched unarmed into its infrequent battles with snow”.
The worst winter storm on record to hit the region was in 1916, when 38in of snow paralyzed the city for days and caused the collapse of a historic dome on St James Cathedral, according to the Seattle Times.
In addition to massive traffic delays, the wintry weather has also resulted in at least one life threatening situation. In Edgewood, Washington, just south of Seattle, local sheriffs rescued a young woman who fell through the ice on a pond while walking her dog. Both were rescued.
Chilly temperatures are expected to continue through the weekend.
