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LOS ANGELES | January 27, 2012 Fierce Santa Ana northeast winds Friday are cause for the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties as the winds signify critical brush-fire conditions. The warning is in effect from 8 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday as gusts of wind in the mountain areas are expected up to 70 mph with valley and coastal areas experiencing gusts of up to 55 mph at its peak which should be reached Friday night into Saturday morning. As humidities are expected to drop rapidly Friday night into Saturday during which time widespread single digit humidities are expected to occur across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, should a brush fire be ignited there could be rapid spread of the fire that could lead to a threat to life and property. As of Friday morning, the winds are reaching higher than expected speeds and the advisory area has been expanded to include the San Fernando and San Gabriel Valleys. In addition, aside from the red flag warning with regard to critical brush-fire conditions, is a driving advisory the CHP issued due to heavy winds in the Newhall Pass area affecting driving conditions, as well as in rural areas and for older model vehicles that are non areo-dynamic experiencing difficulty driving from the strong gusts. Commuters are advised to drive with caution.

SEATTLE | January 20, 2012 More than 280,000 electric customers, most of whom are customers of Puget Sound Energy around the Seattle, Tacoma and Olympia areas, are without power because of a winter storm that blanketed a good portion of Washington state with snow and ice. The winter storm also swelled Oregon's rivers and killed three people. Officials from Puget Sound Energy made a statement that it could take into the weekend or even later to have power back on for everyone. The National Weather Service states that warm temperatures Friday should melt the snow and ice in Western Washington's lowland areas as their forecast predicts rain into the following week. Forecasters, however, predict that melting snow could cause urban flooding and fill the Skokomish and Chehalis rivers above flood stage by Saturday night. As rain is forecast early during the week it could make flooding a focal point according to a report from the Associated Press.