ALASKA GAS PIPELINE?
According to this story, someone has filed an application to begin planning and development of a gas pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to the Alaska/Yukon Territories border at Beaver Creek (745 miles)... $6.3 billion.
Interesting... more job security, eh?
Friday, January 23, 2004
Thursday, January 22, 2004
NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS
That's right.. I haven't updated in a while. And no, I'm not still trapped at home. We've both been fairly busy lately, so I haven't gotten around to this as I would like. I hope to have some time to update more soon, but in the meantime, check out the following link to what I consider to be the most unique pop singer I've ever heard. Her name is Wing, and she's like a karaoke singer from hell. I'm particularly fond of Memories (from "Cats") and Jingle Bells. But I have to say, her cover of Mariah Carey's Vision of Love is quite a gem.
Listen to Wing
More later!
That's right.. I haven't updated in a while. And no, I'm not still trapped at home. We've both been fairly busy lately, so I haven't gotten around to this as I would like. I hope to have some time to update more soon, but in the meantime, check out the following link to what I consider to be the most unique pop singer I've ever heard. Her name is Wing, and she's like a karaoke singer from hell. I'm particularly fond of Memories (from "Cats") and Jingle Bells. But I have to say, her cover of Mariah Carey's Vision of Love is quite a gem.
Listen to Wing
More later!
Thursday, January 08, 2004
STANDSTILL - DAY THREE
It's pushing 9pm Thursday and we haven't left the house in any meaningful way since Monday night: the grocery store to stock up on a few necessities.
Today, Hillsboro and the westside started to thaw - slowly - with better road conditions on most major thoroughfares. Unfortunately, the smaller side roads which we have to take to get anywhere, including the MAX train that was not functioning today, were still pretty bad for most of the day. Beaverton Schools cancelled classes, so Jill did not go into work. I stayed home as well and worked at home again, though I had to ask for more work to be sent to me because I was starting to run out!
Jill and I are quite grateful that we bought a house in Hillsboro after all of this has happened. We're nowhere near the Columbia Gorge, which continues to bring colder air into the east side of the metro area. Wind, continued freezing rain and generally bad weather are the norm over there. Over here in the Tualatin Valley, it's balmy in comparison. I wouldn't want trees collapsing on power lines or water mains and pipes bursting like they have been over in east Multnomah County (east Portland).
Portland International Airport had all inbound and outbound flights cancelled by all airlines today and the same has been announced for tomorrow. The number of passengers stranded is well into the thousands. That includes Lisa Rodener, a friend temporarily staying with John and Judy, who is presently stranded in Phoenix waiting for America West to resume flights to Portland.
from The Oregonian
Interstate 84 is still closed from Portland to Hood River, a stretch of about 60 miles. It's the main artery of freight from the Pacific Ocean, though Portland, to Chicago and most parts east. Untold economic losses have been wrought, but nobody will ever know the final tally. The Portland metro area already has the highest recorded unemployment rate in the country.. we didn't need this.
We are now officially under flood advisories, meaning the possibility of flooding is escalated. Floods have not yet been reported anywhere. But in the coming days, the extent of rainfall and the speed with which temperatures rise will determine the extent of flooding. Again, nobody can say.
Besides working, I spent part of my lunchtime hour digging a trench in the ice and snow about 30 feet to encourage drainage of melting snow on our side of the street. I went outside to check the mail and a lake was already forming. I also broke up the inch-thick layer of ice sealing off our gutters. Rainfall, which began yesterday, and snowmelt was going over the side of the house instead of through the downspouts and out, away from the house.
Beaverton School District has already declared that school will be closed tomorrow, Friday, so Jill has gotten nearly a full week of vacation. But they'll tack on an extra four days in June, so she's not exactly pleased at that prospect. Provided roads are again slushy tomorrow morning like they were late this afternoon, and the MAX train is working again, I'll be headed back to the office downtown.
I'll let you know how it goes!
It's pushing 9pm Thursday and we haven't left the house in any meaningful way since Monday night: the grocery store to stock up on a few necessities.
Today, Hillsboro and the westside started to thaw - slowly - with better road conditions on most major thoroughfares. Unfortunately, the smaller side roads which we have to take to get anywhere, including the MAX train that was not functioning today, were still pretty bad for most of the day. Beaverton Schools cancelled classes, so Jill did not go into work. I stayed home as well and worked at home again, though I had to ask for more work to be sent to me because I was starting to run out!
Jill and I are quite grateful that we bought a house in Hillsboro after all of this has happened. We're nowhere near the Columbia Gorge, which continues to bring colder air into the east side of the metro area. Wind, continued freezing rain and generally bad weather are the norm over there. Over here in the Tualatin Valley, it's balmy in comparison. I wouldn't want trees collapsing on power lines or water mains and pipes bursting like they have been over in east Multnomah County (east Portland).
Portland International Airport had all inbound and outbound flights cancelled by all airlines today and the same has been announced for tomorrow. The number of passengers stranded is well into the thousands. That includes Lisa Rodener, a friend temporarily staying with John and Judy, who is presently stranded in Phoenix waiting for America West to resume flights to Portland.
from The Oregonian
Interstate 84 is still closed from Portland to Hood River, a stretch of about 60 miles. It's the main artery of freight from the Pacific Ocean, though Portland, to Chicago and most parts east. Untold economic losses have been wrought, but nobody will ever know the final tally. The Portland metro area already has the highest recorded unemployment rate in the country.. we didn't need this.
We are now officially under flood advisories, meaning the possibility of flooding is escalated. Floods have not yet been reported anywhere. But in the coming days, the extent of rainfall and the speed with which temperatures rise will determine the extent of flooding. Again, nobody can say.
Besides working, I spent part of my lunchtime hour digging a trench in the ice and snow about 30 feet to encourage drainage of melting snow on our side of the street. I went outside to check the mail and a lake was already forming. I also broke up the inch-thick layer of ice sealing off our gutters. Rainfall, which began yesterday, and snowmelt was going over the side of the house instead of through the downspouts and out, away from the house.
Beaverton School District has already declared that school will be closed tomorrow, Friday, so Jill has gotten nearly a full week of vacation. But they'll tack on an extra four days in June, so she's not exactly pleased at that prospect. Provided roads are again slushy tomorrow morning like they were late this afternoon, and the MAX train is working again, I'll be headed back to the office downtown.
I'll let you know how it goes!
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
STANDSTILL - DAY TWO
Jill and I are both at home in Hillsboro again today due to the solid layer of ice that now blankets nearly everything. If you don't have four-wheel drive, chains AND high clearance, it's extremely treacherous driving in the Portland metro area today. Road maintenance crews have had negligible impact on all of the ice as a result of freezing rain that stayed most of the night.
The meteorologists grossly underestimated the longevity of cold air barreling through the Columbia Gorge from the east. The Gorge acts much like a wind tunnel and, unfortunately, eastern Oregon and the Yakima Valley have stubbornly held onto a pocket of frigid air, despite southerly warm air that's been streaming into the state.
From www.katu.com
The result is that the Gorge supplies the metro area with very cold air while the warm, moist air continues to slide over instead of breaking it up as the forecasters predicted. Rain falls from the warm system, passes through the cold air and either freezes in the air - sleet - or hits the ground wet and then freezes on contact - freezing rain.
Here's a link to a bunch of photos taken by viewers of KATU. Among all the stations, they seem to have the best amateur photographers. I rather liked this one, though:
-Interstate 84 is still closed from Portland to Hood River - poor truckers.
-Flights in and out of PDX airport are delayed until 5pm at the earliest.
-Parts of Highway 101 on the coast are still closed.
-I-5 south of Wilsonville (southern tip of metro area) requires chains on all vehicles.
-The MAX trains are closed in all directions - that's how I get to work.
-All school districts are closed, nearly all public agencies and jurisdictions are closed, and for the first time ever, Nike Headquarters in Beaverton (no too far from here) has closed. Intel, God bless 'em, is still open.. their fabrication plants here in Washington County lose millions with a blink-of-an-eye power surge, much less a two-day work stoppage.
We've been told that it's expected to warm up here on the west side of the metro area. Based on my view out the back window, I'd agree. Rain is falling, but it's not freezing but rather pooling on top of the ice that formed overnight. The temperature is still 28 degrees here, however, so I don't see it getting above freezing anytime soon.
So what now? Well, the locals are still worried about the flooding that will likely occur after tomorrow. We are expected to warm up very quickly after this with continued rain. So snowmelt and rain will combine and the river levels are expected to climb substantially. We're not at risk at our house, but I wouldn't want to be living within any river's 50-year or 100-year floodzone.
Here is a link to a webpage that was written during the 1996 Willamette Valley flood.. with plenty of photos and comparisons to a flood in 1964 that was equally devastating. It's actually a lecture by a professor at the University of Oregon prepared and presented that very day in 1996.
More later!
Jill and I are both at home in Hillsboro again today due to the solid layer of ice that now blankets nearly everything. If you don't have four-wheel drive, chains AND high clearance, it's extremely treacherous driving in the Portland metro area today. Road maintenance crews have had negligible impact on all of the ice as a result of freezing rain that stayed most of the night.
The meteorologists grossly underestimated the longevity of cold air barreling through the Columbia Gorge from the east. The Gorge acts much like a wind tunnel and, unfortunately, eastern Oregon and the Yakima Valley have stubbornly held onto a pocket of frigid air, despite southerly warm air that's been streaming into the state.
From www.katu.com
The result is that the Gorge supplies the metro area with very cold air while the warm, moist air continues to slide over instead of breaking it up as the forecasters predicted. Rain falls from the warm system, passes through the cold air and either freezes in the air - sleet - or hits the ground wet and then freezes on contact - freezing rain.
Here's a link to a bunch of photos taken by viewers of KATU. Among all the stations, they seem to have the best amateur photographers. I rather liked this one, though:
-Interstate 84 is still closed from Portland to Hood River - poor truckers.
-Flights in and out of PDX airport are delayed until 5pm at the earliest.
-Parts of Highway 101 on the coast are still closed.
-I-5 south of Wilsonville (southern tip of metro area) requires chains on all vehicles.
-The MAX trains are closed in all directions - that's how I get to work.
-All school districts are closed, nearly all public agencies and jurisdictions are closed, and for the first time ever, Nike Headquarters in Beaverton (no too far from here) has closed. Intel, God bless 'em, is still open.. their fabrication plants here in Washington County lose millions with a blink-of-an-eye power surge, much less a two-day work stoppage.
We've been told that it's expected to warm up here on the west side of the metro area. Based on my view out the back window, I'd agree. Rain is falling, but it's not freezing but rather pooling on top of the ice that formed overnight. The temperature is still 28 degrees here, however, so I don't see it getting above freezing anytime soon.
So what now? Well, the locals are still worried about the flooding that will likely occur after tomorrow. We are expected to warm up very quickly after this with continued rain. So snowmelt and rain will combine and the river levels are expected to climb substantially. We're not at risk at our house, but I wouldn't want to be living within any river's 50-year or 100-year floodzone.
Here is a link to a webpage that was written during the 1996 Willamette Valley flood.. with plenty of photos and comparisons to a flood in 1964 that was equally devastating. It's actually a lecture by a professor at the University of Oregon prepared and presented that very day in 1996.
More later!
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
OREGON AT A STANDSTILL
As I sit here in Hillsboro, Western Oregon is weathering an onslaught of snow, sleet, winds gusting above 40 mph and temperatures, before chill factor adjustment, barely cracking 25 degrees. All schools have shut down, most roads require traction devices, Interstate 5 has been completely shut down between Cottage Grove and Roseburg to the south, and portions of Highway 101 on the coast have been closed completely! This follows on the heels of a far more mild storm that passed through on New Year's Day and shut everything down.
The Great Storm of 2004!
This is a photo of Marquam Bridge over the Willamette River in Portland looking east from downtown. All of the eastside is invisible from the snow. (From www.katu.com) I hope to have my own photos posted on here in good time.
Temperatures were well below freezing all day yesterday, but last night a major storm system moved onshore from the southwest and the result has been snow all night. The accumulation was originally predicted to be 6"-10" in the Portland metro area, but I think that's a stretch. They didn't factor in the fact that the colder the air temperature, the smaller the snow flake. And indeed, all the snow on the ground this morning is small and powdery. I would guess that here in Hillsboro, we've gotten no more than 3"-4". Though I do notice that the flakes are getting gradually larger and the dusting flurries have picked up again to a full-fledged snowfall.
Now mind you, both Jill and I have both seen far worse than this in our lifetimes, easily. Jill'ssentence time spent in Wisconsin as a child and my Alaska upbringing leave us amused at some of the hyperbole in the media about this storm. Many a morning with far more snow and colder temperatures do I remember driving to high school in Anchorage. But the area is clearly not equipped to deal with this very unusual volume of snow removal, record-low temperatures and icy roads.
So, Jill's school district cancelled all classes today and I'm working at home because the MAX trains have been shut down due to inability to climb necessary gradients on the westside line. The alternative is a shuttle service, but I personally don't care to risk it on the roads with a bunch of ill-equipped, stoned ex-Californians - the dominant breed of driver in Oregon.
The truly frightening part, however, is the fact that this afternoon and tonight, temperatures are expected to hold below 30 while potentially vicious freezing rain moves into the area. Forecasters are saying it's highly likely that at least a half inch of ice could accumulate, which is more than enough to take down many trees and powerlines in the region. That remains to be seen, but it has already been reported in Salem and parts further south in the Willamette Valley. (??!!)
I'll update if anything else interesting happens - if I still have phone connection as the day goes on.. there's big trees around here next to the telephone wires.
As I sit here in Hillsboro, Western Oregon is weathering an onslaught of snow, sleet, winds gusting above 40 mph and temperatures, before chill factor adjustment, barely cracking 25 degrees. All schools have shut down, most roads require traction devices, Interstate 5 has been completely shut down between Cottage Grove and Roseburg to the south, and portions of Highway 101 on the coast have been closed completely! This follows on the heels of a far more mild storm that passed through on New Year's Day and shut everything down.
The Great Storm of 2004!
This is a photo of Marquam Bridge over the Willamette River in Portland looking east from downtown. All of the eastside is invisible from the snow. (From www.katu.com) I hope to have my own photos posted on here in good time.
Temperatures were well below freezing all day yesterday, but last night a major storm system moved onshore from the southwest and the result has been snow all night. The accumulation was originally predicted to be 6"-10" in the Portland metro area, but I think that's a stretch. They didn't factor in the fact that the colder the air temperature, the smaller the snow flake. And indeed, all the snow on the ground this morning is small and powdery. I would guess that here in Hillsboro, we've gotten no more than 3"-4". Though I do notice that the flakes are getting gradually larger and the dusting flurries have picked up again to a full-fledged snowfall.
Now mind you, both Jill and I have both seen far worse than this in our lifetimes, easily. Jill's
So, Jill's school district cancelled all classes today and I'm working at home because the MAX trains have been shut down due to inability to climb necessary gradients on the westside line. The alternative is a shuttle service, but I personally don't care to risk it on the roads with a bunch of ill-equipped, stoned ex-Californians - the dominant breed of driver in Oregon.
The truly frightening part, however, is the fact that this afternoon and tonight, temperatures are expected to hold below 30 while potentially vicious freezing rain moves into the area. Forecasters are saying it's highly likely that at least a half inch of ice could accumulate, which is more than enough to take down many trees and powerlines in the region. That remains to be seen, but it has already been reported in Salem and parts further south in the Willamette Valley. (??!!)
I'll update if anything else interesting happens - if I still have phone connection as the day goes on.. there's big trees around here next to the telephone wires.
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