Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
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SOGGY HOLIDAY--As the atmospheric river made its way to the area on Sunday, we definitely saw a super soggy Easter, so it’s a good thing most Easter Egg Hunts were done on Saturday around here so as not to be totally drenched; whew! According to the forecast, it looks to be a wet start to the week but we’re due for some dry days by mid-week and even a dry weekend. I won’t hold my breath as that keeps changing but I sure hope it’s true. I’m also hoping the “slight chance of flooding” is non-existent but just in case, we’re all set here at our...
WHAT A DAY!--As this week began, on Palm Sunday, we definitely had a mix of weather. Not only did we have snow, rain showers and sunshine but we threw in a nice little hail storm to boot! Thankfully, the snow that covered everything, including the road here in West Valley and SR 4 going up KM, didn’t last a long time and was melted off by afternoon. From the forecast I’m looking at for the coming week, it seems spring weather will continue to elude us and we will still need rain jackets and warm coats! SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating bir...
WHITE START--As this week began, and a week after spring had officially arrived, we woke to a very wintery Sunday as it was all white with snow here in West Valley! I know KM Mountain and Beaver Creek were sporting a fresh coat of the white stuff as well, so I’d say winter isn’t quite done with us yet. However, by afternoon, the white covered roads and fields were back to their proper colors of black and green and the skies had turned to blue. What a change in just a few hours! Forecasters say we will be on the chilly side this week but hop...
SPRING IS HERE--According to the calendar, we are now officially done with winter and as of this past Monday, spring is here! There’s just one little issue that we may have however, as forecasters have said by the time you read this, we will be back into a wet and chilly mode! In some places, temperatures will be in the lower 30s and forecasters say that the higher elevations could even see some snow in some areas, so it looks like winter may not be done with us just yet! I can only hope that we valley dwellers escape any of that “white stu...
WET BEGINNING--It’s a tadbit soggy out there as I begin this column as one of our atmospheric rivers is making itself known. Of course, if you’ve been here awhile, it’s just known as a typical rainy stretch of weather and it’s not anything too special unless it dumps two or three inches of rain on us every day, so I’m hoping that doesn’t occur! However, we need to make preparations for when these extra wet days cause a bit of flooding over our roadways and the potential for slides, etc., are more apt to occur, so let’s hope we’ve all bee...
STILL WINTER--Waking up to a dusting of snow last week and seeing temperatures still dipping below freezing with more cold and wet weather to come this week, has definitely reminded me that winter is still here! I’m sure we’re all looking forward to spring and warmer weather but considering I’ve seen it snow here in April I don’t think warmth is necessarily coming as it’s definitely not a guarantee around these parts! SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays from March 9-15 are Gretchen Mahitka, Mark Whitaker, Azery Gribskov, Gladys Mace, Kenn...
STILL WINTER--If you live in my neck of the woods, you woke this past Sunday, Feb. 26, with no power and lots of snow on the ground. The snow was very pretty but as the “dusting” of predicted snow turned into several inches, my enjoyment started to wane just a bit. Couple that with trees falling down and taking out power lines, which affected many over Ingalls Road, West Valley Road and along SR 4 from the rock pit to KM, that was not exactly welcomed. A big “thank you” to PUD crews for coming out once again and fixing a mess along Ingalls...
GETTING PREPARED--As this week starts, it’s a drippy day in the 40s but according to forecasters, we are in for some very cold days, so I hope you were ready to bundle up and keep warm somehow. Whenever we see temperatures in the 20s forecast, that’s not a great deal for man nor beast and then throw in a chance of some snow and it could be a really miserable few days. Keeping my fingers crossed that the forecast changes and we are all a bit cooler but nothing too severe; one can always hope! It is still winter so I guess we shouldn’t be too s...
NOT SO NICE--As this week begins, it looks pretty nasty out there and if the forecasters are correct, we will get some snow as the temperatures fall. Fortunately, this is supposed to be a very brief snow event so I hope that’s correct. The rest of the week appears to be colder but drier according to most forecasters, so we’ll just have to wait and see how that plays out. I am a little bummed that the minute my “Snowdrops” bloom, it seems like we get snow and they get buried, but hopefully they will survive okay. If we do get some super cold we...
WET AND WILD--We ended last week with some very strong wind gusts in our area, and after a couple of those hefty ones, a tree went down and “bleep,” there went the power. When the ground is soggy after having just thawed out and then having some steady rains come down, the trees have a habit of taking a tumble and one of those on Ingalls Road did just that on Friday afternoon and took the power line down with it. For those of us affected by it, this meant no water either as we country folks are out here on wells and springs and most of us nee...
COLD START--This week is beginning rather nippy, as this Sunday morning saw temps in the mid-20s and that’s plenty cold enough for me! The blue sky and sunshine that came along with it was very nice though, and truly made the thick, white frost sparkle like crazy; very pretty. I was even happier when it warmed up and we were back to seeing green grass, as were the animals. Here’s hoping everyone made it through these first few frozen days of February without any burst pipes or other problems that these cold streaks can cause! SPECIAL DAY...
BRR--As we woke up this past weekend, it was below freezing in West Valley and we even got to see a bit of snow and “graupel”; those tiny snowballs which I used to lump into the category of just hail. Anyway, it was cold and definitely not a time to be without an extra layer of clothing or bedding! Some areas along SR4 on Sunday morning had folks slipping and sliding and saying it was a “sheet of ice” as some folks even met with a trip to the ditch. It’s just a reminder that winter has just begun and we are a long ways from enjoying those war...
STORMY--As I begin this column, it’s blowing like crazy and I am just hoping I can finish this up without any power outages ruining my plans! During the night, it was definitely a time of noise as I could hear the tree branches crashing down in the woods behind me and I was hoping it would settle down before something landed where I didn’t want it to; so far, so good! It appears our weather is supposed to be a bit drier by the time you read this on Thursday, so that will be nice. On the flip side it will also be a bit colder, with temps in the...
BLUSTERY--As I begin this column, it is a very blustery Monday and the tree branches are breaking and debris is flying, so if you’re getting this windy weather, I hope you’ve managed to keep your outside things from flying away! I also hope you don’t have to be outside as falling tree branches can be detrimental to one's vehicle or your well being! It looks like we’re in for a soggy week, so keep those boots handy, as I believe we’re going to need them! SPECIAL DAYS--Those celebrating birthdays this coming week are Patty Calvert, Cindy Llo...
ANOTHER YEAR--Well, we’re five days into 2023 and we’ve had some wild weather to end 2022 and to start 2023 as well, so I’m hoping for some milder stuff for awhile. We certainly had some horrible road conditions over Christmas and then later we saw heavy rains with some low land flooding and then we tossed in some super sonic thunder and brilliant lightning so that was definitely impressive! The earlier forecast of some dry weather for this week quickly fell apart and now it looks to be wet and stormy as well, so I hope you’re stocked up and...
PRETTY UGLY--I think we can all agree that last week's weather was pretty awful, as “Ole Man Winter” really made his debut a powerful one and that ice storm we had really came on fast and definitely made road travel treacherous. One stretch of I-5 saw 20 roll over accidents in just a few hours and most agreed that the streets were “ice rinks” and people should stay home. Even air travel was deeply impacted as hundreds of flights got cancelled and people were stranded all across the states, so it was really a brutal holiday weekend for hundred...
BEEN COLD--I hope you survived the arctic blast that we had last week, as it certainly was chilly around these parts. Those low 20 degree temperatures certainly make my ole bones ache, along with making those roads slick with ice and heavy frost. By the time you read this, we may have already had another round of freezing temps and even some snow, but with ever changing weather models, I guess we will just have to wait and see what we get. Personally, I’d just as soon not have a white Christmas as I know a lot of folks are traveling over the h...
BRACED FOR COLD?--According to the current forecast on my weather app, it appears we’re in for quite a cold stretch and even a chance of snow on Sunday, so I hope you’re ready for possible snowy or icy conditions in the coming days! Then again, these forecasts can be misleading or completely fall apart and also, vary greatly from one area to the next, so just be aware that while you may escape some of the nasty weather where you are, others nearby may get hit with all the nastiness. Basically, we’re back to the “just be prepared for anythin...
COLD--I don’t know about you but these chilly days and cold nights are definitely not making these old bones very happy as they seem to ache with every move and I moan and groan with every one of them! I can remember ole Doc Fritz telling me that I needed to move to Arizona, and that was back in the early 60s. Maybe I should have listened! Anyway, we’ve had some snow and plenty of ice in the mornings, and often it doesn’t appear to be icy but that blacktop can fool you and before you know it, your rig is going sideways and sliding all over the...
WHAT WILL WE GET?--As this week begins, the forecast is a mixed bag, with some saying we could get some snow and some saying it’s just going to freeze, while others are saying rain every day, so I guess we will just have to wait and see what shows up. As we all know, the weather can vary around here from Skamokawa to Cathlamet and even from valley to valley and day to day, so it’s just best to be prepared for the worst scenario and then hope for the best, as it’s much easier to deal with the worst if we’re ready for it. I’m not a lover of...
BRR--We have certainly had some chilly temperatures in West Valley this past week and I can say with all certainty that I’m not at all fond of those mid-20 degree temps we were having, as that’s just too cold for me! Plus, what happened to our fall? It seems we went from hot and dry to frigid and miserable without any cooler but dry and pleasant days! However, the weather folks say it’s going to warm up this week but it doesn’t come with any dry weather, but plenty of rain instead, so we won’t be dealing with icy roads anymore but we will be h...
NIPPY--I’m not sure everyone has had the cool temperatures at their house, but mine have been below freezing for several evenings, so I hope you’re staying warm with this chill in the air! The sunny days are nice however, so I think it beats the wet, nasty days that we had and while they may not be quite as cold, they certainly are more miserable when they hang around very long. Beings we’ve had some very nasty weather around Thanksgiving time, which included some major flooding, I’m crossing my fingers that this year we will have none of that...
NOT NICE--We all know that we had quite the weather event this past week but at least it didn’t last too long. However, with power outages, road closures due to flooding and drivers finding roadways littered with rocks and trees, it’s an early reminder of just what to expect and prepare for in the coming months. Actually, we may be having a few days of freezing weather by the time you read this, so I hope you were able to wrap up your pipes and cover your flowers, etc., and have what you need for that event. Like I said, these nasty storms are...
WET ONE--As this week begins, it’s pretty doggone soggy out, which means that those who went trick or treating may have needed boots and umbrellas to go with their costumes, so that’s a bummer. Actually this whole week looks wet but there’s always that slight chance that a “window of dryness” will open now and then on those 60 percent chance of rain days, so we’ll hope that happens more and it rains even less! OFF AND ON--I’m typing this up early while I still have a phone line and I still have internet as it seems I’m among the many folks who...
BACK AGAIN--I am back in the present, with both telephone and internet, at least for the moment. It was a quiet couple of weeks, which was fairly nice in one way, as those annoying campaign calls and other robo calls weren’t waking me up, but it sure is hard to gather news and write a column when you’re out in the sticks and have no way to communicate, or send a column in via email! WE GOT RAIN--As I begin my column, it is actually pretty decent out there. However, last Friday night, our rain gauge showed that we had almost an inch of the wet...
