Severe ‘Bomb cyclone’ storm results in 2 fatalities and over 450,000 power outages in Washington state

Two people were killed near Seattle and over half a million homes and businesses lost power in the Pacific Northwest due to back-to-back storms. The storms brought high winds, rain, snow, falling trees, and downed power lines. In eastern Washington, residents were warned to travel carefully as snow and freezing rain caused blizzard conditions. A woman in her 50s was killed when a tree fell on a homeless encampment, and another woman died when a tree crashed into her house. The storms caused damage to many vehicles and buildings, with some areas experiencing hurricane-strength winds. More than 700,000 homes and businesses in Washington lost power, with over 300,000 still without power by late Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters rescued two people trapped in a trailer by a fallen tree. Experts warn that climate change is exacerbating these extreme weather events, with the potential for more intense storms and higher costs. Northern California and Canada also experienced strong winds and power outages as a result of the storms. The National Weather Service predicts extreme rainfall totals in California through the end of the week, with a separate storm set to develop and strengthen off the Northwest coast on Friday.

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