Several of our photographers have been preparing for the weather and looking at ways we can cover events like these more creatively. One tool we’re experimenting with is time lapse video.

Photographer Michael Brunk had his camera set up and waiting when a brief snow flurry blew through earlier today and put together this video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

David adds:

This was near 12100 East Marginal Way, just north of Metro Transit’s south base (see map below).

When the river started rising it caught the corner of the boat and little by little it got pulled under.

This boat was moored via tether off of private land.

The Duwamish is fed by the Green River, which this week reached a Phase 3 Flood Stage, according to the USGS.

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King County announced Friday (Nov. 13th) a brand new automated “flood alert” system that will provide real-time messages by phone, text or email warning of potential flooding on more than a half-dozen local rivers.

The new service is free, and to sign up, just visit www.kingcounty.gov/flood, or call 206-263-3400 to register by phone.

According to a press release:

The potential for flooding this winter is an especially important issue for the highly developed Green River Valley, which has been protected from serious flooding since the early 1960s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Howard Hanson Dam. Damage to the dam’s right abutment during heavy storms last winter has led to restrictions on how much floodwater the dam can store and increases the risk of flooding in communities downstream of the dam.

“The new flood alert system can be tailored to an individual’s precise needs, allowing anyone to sign up for flood alerts for a specific river or multiple rivers, for a specific flood phase level, and for the alerts to come via phone, text message or e-mail,” said Steve Bleifuhs, manager of the county’s River and Floodplain Management group.

The automated alerts are one of many ways for residents to help protect the home, family, or business during a flood.

The real-time information service is the latest in a series of resources King County has been providing to residents to improve public safety and help citizens prepare for potential flooding. Links to additional resources are available at http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/waterandland/flooding.aspx.

“In an emergency, no one system is foolproof, and it is important for residents to check multiple sources for information – such as radio, television and the Web,” Bleifuhs said.

King County is also providing sandbag information online so residents and business owners can easily find details on locations where limited sandbags resources are available to the public before and during flood events.

Visit www.kingcounty.gov/floodplans/ and click on “sandbag distribution locations.” Sandbags are available through a partnership between King County and cities in flood-prone areas.

When wet weather raises river levels to flood conditions, the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks opens the Flood Warning Center to provide round-the-clock coordination of weather and river flooding information and answer questions for the public. Flood Warning Center operations are funded by the King County Flood Control District.

The center, which has been in operation for more than four decades, is designed to give citizens at least two hours warning to prepare for possible flooding. It works in tandem with the county’s Road Services Division, to give citizens up-to-date information about road closures.

The Flood Warning Center provides a continuously updated phone message (206-296-8200 or 1-800-945-9263) that describes conditions on King County’s major rivers. During a flood residents can speak directly to staff in the Flood Warning Center by calling 206-296-4535 or 1-800-768-7932.

The center sends out flood patrol teams to inspect levees and to check recent repairs to flood protection projects, reported trouble spots, or problems called in by citizens.

King County provides funding for the U.S. Geological Service river monitoring system. Real time river flow and flood phase data is available to anyone who logs onto the Department’s Web site at www.kingcounty.gov/flood.

Flood Warning Center operation is based on a four-phase warning system with Phase Four being the most serious and potentially dangerous to people and property. Phases are issued independently for each of the county’s major rivers – the Snoqualmie, Tolt, Cedar, Green and White rivers. A four-phase warning system is also established for Issaquah Creek.

The Flood Warning Center works with the National Weather Service to obtain forecast information used by the weather service to make flood predictions.

The center also works with the King County Roads Services Division, which deploys crews to post road closures as water covers roadways. Road crews are also used to construct emergency repairs to flood protection facilities when high water threatens their viability.

The center coordinates with the City of Seattle and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operate dams on county rivers, and with the King County Regional Communications and Emergency Coordination Center during major flooding conditions. The Flood Warning Center is an important element of King County’s Floodplain Management Program and its Flood Hazard Management Plan.

The temperature eclipsed the triple-digit mark early this afternoon in Tukwila, most likely breaking a record for hottest day.

EVAR.

Also, a brush fire erupted on I-5 near Southcenter, and here’s a video clip:

The National Weather Service issued a “Special Weather Statement” Sunday afternoon about a strong, windy weather system that’s predicted to hit the area Monday night.

We’re no Cliff Mass, but one thing that struck us was the mention of the pressure in this storm, rated at 980 millibars. As comparison, Hurricane Katrina was rated at 920 mb (lower is stronger), and the Inauguration Day storm of 1993 was rated between 972-980 mb (for a great read on northwest storm systems, with info on pressures, click here).

While it’s a powerful system, since the storm will weaken as it pushes inland, wind speeds are predicted to be between 20-35 mph, with gusts up to 45. There could be downed trees and power outages though, so you may want to batten down all those flowers you worked on Sunday.

Here’s the statement:

Statement as of 3:51 PM PDT on May 03, 2009

… Very windy conditions are expected to develop in the western Washington lowlands Monday night and continue through Tuesday morning…

A developing storm system in the central Pacific is expected to deepen to around 980 mb as it moves through the Washington offshore waters toward northern Vancouver Island Monday and Monday night. A strong frontal system associated with this low will move through western Washington Monday night.

A storm and frontal system of this magnitude is more typical of late fall or winter than of early may.

At this point it appears that south winds of 20 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph will develop Monday night as the front moves through and continue through the early morning hours on Tuesday. Many deciduous trees are now leafing. So winds of this magnitude may break some large branches and possibly topple a few trees.

Local power outages are possible.

The City of Tukwila will be holding its second public informational meeting about flooding and water release from the Howard Hanson Dam on the Green River on Wednesday, April 22nd from 2pm to 4pm at the Tukwila Community Center.

Here are the details:

WHAT: City of Tukwila Public Informational Meeting: Howard Hanson Dam on Green River

WHEN: Wednesday, April 22nd from 2pm to 4pm

WHERE: Tukwila Community Center, located at 12424 42nd Ave. South

INFO: This meeting is targeted at Tukwila business owners but is open to the public.

Learn about the Howard Hanson Dam and what the City of Tukwila is doing to prepare for flooding and the release of additional water during extreme rain events.

You will be provided with the tools and information to assist you in your personal preparedness.

More info at: www.ci.tukwila.wa.us

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The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Storm Watch…which is in effect from late Tuesday night through late Wednesday night.

Heavy snow is likely over western Washington on Wednesday. Three to six inches are possible in certain areas… including the east Puget Sound lowlands… the northwest and southwest interiors… and the Strait of Juan de Fuca area. Snow in these areas will begin in the north late Tuesday night and spread south Wednesday morning.

By Wednesday night three to six inches of new snow are possible.

Other areas… including the Seattle metropolitan area and the Kitsap peninsula… could get less snow. Here models show one or two inches are possible. On the coast it is possible that conditions will be warm enough for rain part of the time… or mixed rain and snow. However it is not certain that sub-warning amounts will fall in these areas and the Winter Storm Watch extends to them as well.

The Cascades and Olympics will also receive heavy snow… with one or two feet of new snow likely.

Snow levels will be at sea level through much of the event so virtually all of the precipitation will be in the form of snow.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

Monitor weather forecasts. If you have to travel…Tuesday is likely to be a much better day than Wednesday.