I’m stuck at the Kitsap Sun, listening to reports on the scanner of snow related emergencies. Looks like we won’t be going anywhere for a while.
If you can, comment here, e-mail me or call (360) 792-9219 and let me know how things are looking in your corner of the county. Stay safe.
Chris Henry
Hi Chris,
Hansville, can see the water from my home (when there is no blizzard) Very strong gusts of cold wind, probably up to 40 mph, snow blowing, weather report says clearing tomorrow but we have the power flickering and the house sounds like it is in a life & death struggle with the wind.
Happy trails
I heard from Kitsap Transit bus driver Keith Croover of Silverdale, whose route took him back and forth today between Port Orchard and Bremerton.
“From Port Orchard to Silverdale, I probably saw in excess of 100 cars that were in the ditch, disabled, turned around and clunked,” said Croover, who proclaimed this storm “worse than the 1993 ‘arctic express.”
According to Croover, it wasn’t so much the accumulation of snow that made travel so treacherous, it was the combination of subzero temperatures and winds gusting up to 40 miles per hour. “It was just enough to get it compacted and slickened up when it froze,” he said.
Croover said the lights were out everywhere, except in the Kitsap Lake area, when Ralph’s Red Apple Market was open earlier in the evening.
Chris Henry, reporter
Best nickname I’ve heard so far for this storm “SnOMG.”
Snow is fine. A lot of it seems like the what we call corn snow, which to me is nothing more than little balls of white ice, but I don’t mind that. It’s the ice on the roads that’s killing me. I remember someone telling me once that you can put chains and cables on tires and drive in snow, but that no matter what you do when it comes to ice, the ice will take you wherever it wants.
Having said that, I am truly in awe of what is happening outside tonight. Lightning, thunder, wind. Kitsap Way going past QFC looks like a war zone what with all the branches down. 303 around the Brownsville road looked like South Dakota in the middle of winter, with the wind sheeting the snow across the road and creating dust devils of snow. This storm is really one for the books.
I live near Madrona/Ridge Top area and the Waaga Way road is absolutely a nightmare. I’ve been out on the road since 4:00 PM till about 10: 30 PM directing traffic towards Central Valley. A semi apparently jack-knifed at the crest of the hill just after the Ridge Top Exit. Local residents have been pushing cars to the side of the road to allow vehicles with 4-Wheel Drive and Chains to move along the left, but now the road way was completely blocked just past the Ridge Top exit.
There’s about half an inch of ice on the road and there’s literally no traction of any sort. Semis, SUVs, Trucks, you name keeps getting stuck here. People need to stay off the roads, there’s been many accidents here tonight. After 7 hours of moving cars and putting chains on for people, its bed time!
I left my desk at 2:15. It took me an hour and 15 to get off keyport sub-base. Once i crossed the bridge leaving keyport, i planned on hopping on the freeway to head home to Port Orchard but there were so many cars stuck that i just took Brownsville hwy. After many snow devils, scary drivers, flying branches, downed trees and one giant sheet of ice, I made it home 5 hours later.
One thing that disturbed me was all the people walking. I wanted to give them all a ride home. I also wanted to kick the parent of the teen girl i saw running in the road on 11th street, in the dark, around drivers spinning their tires. Made me nervous!
Please let us know where we can go on Tuesday to get warm in walking distance of downtown Poulsbo. We have lost power and we’re cold.
Left my office in Poulsbo off of Hostmark yesterday at 3 pm. Normally a 27 minute commute to my home in Bremerton took me 2 hours and 40 minutes. I would not have made it at times without my 4 wheel drive to make it up any inclines.
Not even going in today. No power so far at the office in Poulsbo anyways.
Cut off my name on that last post. Need more coffee.
Hey Chris we are getting word that they may not even be running the Brown Trucks today. They closed Werner Road for awhile and none of the drivers can make it up the hill to the center. That plus little to no volume coming in from Seattle because if the I-5 closures last night.
No power at the UPS Center last night or this morning either.
Thanks for the posts all. I’m still stuck in Bremerton. Got a hotel room with co-workers.Word from my family in South Kitsap is power is still out and trees are down everywhere.
@Tina – Sorry I don’t have an answer for your at this time. If I find anything out, I’ll post it here.
Courthouse, closed all day.
Take care, and stay in touch.
Chris Henry, reporter.
Current conditions between Poulsbo and Suquamish off Totten/Widme rd – approximately 5″ of snow 18 degrees and 10-15 mph wind with gust to 25 or so. No power since 5 pm last night, tree/limbs down and compact snow/ice on roadway. In otherwords, just another beautiful rural Kitsap winter day.
@ Tina – Are you within walking distance of First Lutheran in Poulsbo? Here’s our story on cold weather shelters in Kitsap County.
Chris Henry, reporter
PORT ORCHARD — The Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management has opened three severe-weather shelters for people who need to get out of the cold this weekend.
The shelters will be open through Sunday night. They are open 6 p.m. through 7 a.m., but guests who leave will not be allowed back into the shelter after 9 p.m.
The shelters are:
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 700 Callahan Drive in Bremerton.
Coffee Oasis, 822 Burwell St., in Bremerton. This shelter is for teens only.
First Lutheran Church of Poulsbo, 18920 Fourth Ave.
The National Weather Service is predicting low temperatures of 33 degrees Saturday and 29 degrees Sunday. Snow is expected Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights.
Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/nov/19/snow-advisory-issued-hood-canal-including-north-ma/#ixzz168FfXGVc
Recent update from the Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management on warming shelters and open gas stations. Chris
Kitsap County, WA –
Warming Shelters currently open at this time:
Poulsbo City Hall
Bainbridge Island Fire District Station 21, Madison and Hwy 305
Kitsap Transit has a warming bus outside of Safeway in Port Orchard.
PSNS and Bangor have opened warming buildings, 843 and 2300 respectively, for folks who have base access.
Kitsap Mall, Silverdale
Open Gas Stations:
West Bremerton
AM/PM, 6th and Naval
East Bremerton
Safeway
Central Kitsap
Costco
Safeway
Exxon, Ridgetop
Port Orchard
Fred Meyer-Bethel and Sedgwick
Albertsons, Sedgwick
Poulsbo
Texaco, Forrest Rock Hill
North Kitsap
Massi Shop, Hwy 305
Longhouse, Hwy 305
*Bainbridge Island has no open stations at this time.
Please notify us if there are any gas stations that are open and have operating pumps not on this list. 360-307-5871
Stay tuned to your radio or TV for updated information.
Hi Chris, I live in Belfair(Mason County), so far we have not lost our power as of Tuesday eve, we don’t have a lot of snow but packed ice on roads and down trees are making roads pretty much impassable.
We got word this afternoon that the owner of Voo Doo Lounge in Port orchard, last night after time to close, moved all liquor to a locked room where no one had access and made coffee and food available and kept his establishment open for anyone who needed a warm place and couldn’t get home. I thought this was really thoughtful on his behalf and it deserves honorable mention and Kudos.
We live near Manchester and just got our power back several hours ago after having been out just over 24 hours. We were lucky and had a generator and fireplace. I feel terribly sorry for those who have no heat alternative. The roads are very icy and it’s hard to get to a warming shelter for sure. Very thankful to the PSE crews for working so hard at getting our power back on. Thank you!