A powerful storm, known as a "bomb cyclone, " hit the northwest United States on Tuesday night. It brought strong winds and heavy rain, causing widespread power outages and trees to fall. In Lynnwood, Washington, a woman died when a tree hit a homeless encampment. In Seattle, another tree trapped someone in a vehicle, but they were later found to be stable.
The storm, fueled by a large plume of moisture, is one of the strongest atmospheric rivers the region has seen this season. It's called a "bomb cyclone" because it intensifies rapidly. The Weather Prediction Center warned of excessive rainfall and hurricane-force winds.
In Bellevue, about 16 kilometers east of Seattle, the fire department advised people to stay inside and away from windows due to falling trees. At least 450, 000 homes lost power, with significant outages also reported in Oregon and California. Peak wind speeds reached 163 kph off Vancouver Island and 127 kph along the Oregon coast.
The storm also brought flooding and high wind watches to northern California, with up to 20 centimeters of rain expected. The National Weather Service warned about the danger of trees during high winds. A blizzard warning was issued for the Cascades in Washington, including Mount Rainier National Park.
