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Joined: August 2003 Posts: 2246
Location: Yucaipa, California | ...not sure how many OFCers we have in Western Washington, but they are having terrible flooding and it looks like it will be getting worse. I-5 South is closed as are all of the East/West highways over the Cascades.....
Washington Flooding |
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Joined: December 2006 Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | It's been an unusually tough winter for the Northwest folk. |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7210
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Mother nature reminding us who's boss.
Should have taken some pictures yesterday. We have lowlands/flood plain that most of the year disguise themselves as mild mannered tulip fields, potato fields and pastures. Yesterday it was kind of eerie driving on a highway that normally just goes through the countryside, but it looked/felt more like a causeway with water on both sides to a HUGE lake or inlet. Pretty much water as far as you can see.
One funny note.. residential neighborhood, A guy in a rowboat on his front lawn/pond with his two kids. Woulda made a nice picture had I thought of it.
I do feel sorry for the folks down south. They got blasted last year too. The peak here along the Skagit River should be below flood stage. |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7210
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | For those interested...
Hydrologic Prediction Service |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | I have postponed some FedEx shipping until there is a way off of this Island. I heard one anouncer last night saying they lost 26" of Snow depth in 36 hours. There is a lot of water moving right now.
Most Oregonians will be able to go to the coast without driving through Washington if it keeps up!
Keep your powder dry. |
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Joined: November 2002 Posts: 3603
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Minor flooding, so far, on the east side of the Cascades. Some winds measured @ 114 mph, a few days ago. Blew a friend's travel trailer down the hill- BUMMER! |
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Joined: April 2006 Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Originally posted by MWoody:
Most Oregonians will be able to go to the coast without driving through Washington if it keeps up!
Which coast?
_____
gh1 |
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Joined: November 2002 Posts: 3603
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | On a more local note, the thawing has revealed the products of about a month's-worth of my 2 canines' digestive processes in the backyard. Now, THAT is a load of crap!! |
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Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by MWoody:
Most Oregonians will be able to go to the coast without driving through Washington if it keeps up!
It's amazing how many people I've met on the east coast who think we have to. |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I don't know where MWoody was coming from with that comment, but Miles is one of the few Easterners I've met who knew anything about Northwest geography. I was talking to a New Yorker in Seattle and he didn't know that Washington bordered the Pacific.
I was talking to a guy in Buffalo yesterday about their "normal" winter--wind, tons of snow, thawing, ice storms, more wind and more snow. He hadn't heard or seen anything about what's going on in the Northwest. It's all your frame of reference. |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7210
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Thanks for noticing Mark :) Actually the geography is what drew us out here.
Just got the word that the river crested at Flood Stage up the river in Concrete and is supposed to crest 1" over the flood stage here in Mount Vernon at about 10pm. Bottom line, if nothing changes, no need get into the boat here.
As far as perceptions... we have noticed since living here that the "east coast" starts at the peak of the Cascase mountains and goes east.
No offense meant Mark (especially after the nice compliment) but Idaho, New York, CT.. all the same... It has to be something REALLY important to even hear about Spokane over here. |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | That's why Spokane wants form it's own State with Northern Idaho and Western Montana. Most of Eastern Oregon relates better with Boise than it does with Salem or Portland. Those mountain ranges still pose barriers.
When we first moved here from Iowa, I thought it was strange that the locals thought I moved from "Back East", when the true Easterners thought Iowa was "Out West".
Maybe it's because I moved around so much as a kid that I paid some attention to geography, but it did take me a long time to remember that Portland and Seattle aren't on the Pacific Coast. I can't imagine that anyone in the Seattle area really thinks that Idaho is the same as New York, though. |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7210
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | " I can't imagine that anyone in the Seattle area really thinks that Idaho is the same as New York, though."
Not same in the "same" sense... just in the "oh.. it's over that way" sense.
I periodically nudge myself that Seattle is not on the coast too. But... in defense.. normally when you see huge container ships, Cruise Liners, whales, sharks, etc etc.. it's natural to think "Ocean."
Just too bad it rains all year, and the sun never shines. |
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Joined: January 2006 Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | I've driven through Oregon to Seattle and out to Mt. Rainier recently. I can imagine the situation. Godspeed! |
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Joined: October 2007 Posts: 283
Location: Portland, OR | The Cascade Mountains also serve as a philosophical, political boundary I've noticed. But then almost the entirety of Oregon is totally different from the population centers.
I would not mistake Idaho with NY. But I'll bet rural NY has the same differences we have here.
My first roommate in college was from Butte, Montana and before I met him I pictured him as this big doofy guy with a cowboy hat and boots. Not even close. Preconceptions based on location are usually wrong.
We've had some flooding here but not enough to ignite the local news 24 hour alerts like the snows did. |
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Joined: December 2006 Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by sligoman:
But then almost the entirety of Oregon is totally different from the population centers. This is true throughout most of the US of A! |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 13984
Location: Upper Left USA | "I don't know where MWoody was coming from with that comment"
Story of my life... |
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Joined: December 2003 Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | Originally posted by Mr. Ovation:
As far as perceptions... we have noticed since living here that the "east coast" starts at the peak of the Cascase mountains and goes east. I'd agree with this one, having pretty much been here all my life. I consider myself generous, I call it at the Rockies. My wife is from Boston and hates it when I call places like Kentucky "the east coast." Now I just do it to get her goat. |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | Originally posted by dvd:
Now I just do it to get her goat. Keep up the good work, youngster. That's one of the joys of marriage. |
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Joined: March 2008 Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | When I tell people here in the Black Hills that I'm from back east, they say "Oh, Sioux Falls?" When I say I'm from New England they say "Wow, you aren't from America?" When I say I'm from Connecticut they say "But you don't have a southern accent." (Thinking of Kentucky). Now I just say I'm from Hot Springs. Saves a lot of explaining. |
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Joined: January 2006 Posts: 1111
Location: NW Washington State | The rain is gone, it's sunny, and there's no chance of a flood where I live. But the wind is coming! 41 knots on Smith Island at 1:00 pm. |
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Joined: February 2005 Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by CanterburyStrings:
Now I just say I'm from Hot Springs. Saves a lot of explaining. Arkansas? |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | Just like Boise--Iowa? |
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Joined: December 2001 Posts: 7210
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
Just like Boise--Iowa? That's where the potatoes comes from. |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | or corn. Take your pick. |
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Joined: November 2005 Posts: 4816
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Sunshine and sand on the bare highways here now.
Though flooding on the south end of the island cut off a few communities yesterday.
That's it for winter, I guess. Welcome to darkest Spring!
I'm still waiting for B.C. Washington, Oregon, and Idaho to merge with Alaska to form Cascadia!
Land of the Red Neck Hippy |
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Joined: March 2008 Posts: 2683
Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Boise. Isn't that where Karen is from? Oh, that's right, she's from NEW Boise. :D |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | What Karen are you talking about? This is the view looking east from Boise. I don't see New York anywhere:
click |
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Joined: December 2006 Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Come on Mark, that's not Boise ID either! Close maybe... ;)
No slam here, but in Boise, ID almost everything around it is higher, even the interstate!
I really do need to get back out there and visit some fine friends in Mountain Home, Eagle and Boise. Oh, the memories... :D |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | Thanks for making that into a link, Miles. I couldn't seem to downsize the picture, even though I thought I had the hang of it.
Iffy, that's from the back side of Bogus Basin, which is the ridge above Boise. I guess I should have said east of Boise instead of from Boise. I love living on the edge of the wilderness. |
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Joined: December 2006 Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
Bogus Basin I did say "close"... ;)
As I've said before, I love that area! |
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Joined: March 2005 Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | None of that flat stuff for me. That was one of the better days of skiing we've had. A goggle tan is a badge of honor around here. |
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Joined: March 2006 Posts: 1634
Location: Chehalis, Washington | Something to be said for high ground...we're about 10 miles north of where the 5 is closed, and last year it was 8 feet underwater. Fortunately, we have 4 acres up a hill (which is not so good when the driveway ices up) with the house at the top, so we have a good view of everyone else underwater...
Seriously though, I heard the Nisqually river was flooded a couple days ago, and they evacuated 30000 people from Orting. My brother's girlfriend's family has the basement of their house flooding in Puyallup (not in the valley), and it just keeps coming. Hopefully we'll let up some moisture soon here. Last winter the floods even destroyed the brand-new Walmart down in Chehalis - they had to completely rebuild the store, after removing drowned cows from the parking lot... |
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