Get ready for a La Niña winter -- It's just around the corner

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Trucks outfitted with snowplows and de-icing tanks are revved up to tackle what could be one of the worst winters to hit the Yakima Valley in more than a decade.

Crews with Yakima County, the city of Yakima and the state Department of Transportation recently reviewed snow removal routes, tuned up plow blades and mounted de-icing tanks onto flatbeds because of a heavier-than-usual snow forecast.

"We have crews, de-icers and extra equipment," said state Department of Transportation spokeswoman Meagan McFadden. "Every year we take it seriously, so we're ready to go."

The reason for all the concern: cooler than normal temperatures near the equator, a weather phenomenon meteorologists call La Niña.

When La Niña disrupts weather patterns in the equatorial Pacific, the effects ripple around the globe. In the Northwest, it means colder temperatures and more snow, said state Climatologist Nick Bond at the University of Washington.

"Eighty percent of the time we'll have a bigger snowpack than usual during a La Niña year," Bond said. "The deck is stacked, but we still don't know the deal of the cards."

Also unknown is how much of a buffer the Cascade Mountains will be against La Niña, said meteorologist Dennis Hull with the National Weather Service in Pendleton, Ore.

"It's nothing to panic over, but it's certainly something to watch," he said. "The Cascades provide a very effective barrier."

Road crews hope so; they don't want to see another La Niña winter like 1996.

That year, record snowfall killed two people, shut down Interstate 82, turned out lights in Yakima and Klickitat counties and collapsed more than 200 buildings in Yakima and Kittitas counties combined. Stretches of I-82 were closed for a day.

A 29-year-old hunter was killed in west Yakima when a snow-laden tree fell on his motor home, and an 85-year-old man died when his carport collapsed under the weight of the heavy snow.

Shelters opened in all three counties to take in those displaced by the weather trauma. The area suffered more than $33.5 million in weather-related property damage.

Yakima was caught flat-footed when the first snowstorm that winter dumped about 12 inches while road crews were still picking up leaves. The city ended up overspending its snow removal budget by five times.

"It was quite a winter," recalled Matt Pietrusiewicz, Yakima County's road maintenance manager.

Still, despite the prospect of harsh weather this year, snow removal crews are approaching this winter like any other.

"Our preparations don't change much from year to year," Pietrusiewicz said. "We kind of anticipate that it's going to be a hard winter no matter what."

In fact, the city is going into the winter with fewer resources than last year, having lost three crew members and roughly $60,000 of its budget due to cuts, said Joe Rosenlund, streets and traffic operations manager.

"The plan right now is we'll go at it the best we can," he said. "Because of the fewer guys we have, it will take us longer to clear the roads. If it gets too bad, I can get some help from other departments."

The county, however, is ready with nine new plow trucks to replace its worn-out fleet. The county had saved $1.5 million over the years to replace the 20-year-old trucks, Pietrusiewicz said.

While crews say they can handle heavy snow, they admit they could get behind if the precipitation continues for several days in a row. Outside contractors may have to be called in, which is extra expense.

"We're hoping for the best," Rosenlund said. "We are trying to think through and guess what our worst-case scenario is and make a plan for that."

* Phil Ferolito can be reached at 509-577-7749 or pferolito@yakimaherald.com.

Budgets

• Yakima budget: $372,000

• Yakima County budget: $500,000

• State Department of Transportation budget: $9 million 

Crews

• Yakima city crews: 21 workers, 15 snowplows, four de-icing trucks, two graders; one loader.

• Yakima County crews: About 50 workers; 22 snowplows; nine graders.

• DOT crews: 175 workers manning snowplows, snowblowers, loaders and de-icing trucks spanning from Snoqualmie Pass to the Tri-Cities.