Seattle Local Pulse: Snow Chaos and Business Exodus Shake the Region

Good morning, this is Seattle Local Pulse for Saturday, March 14. We kick off with the weather dominating our headlines after yesterdays surprise snow blanketed the Puget Sound from SeaTac to Snoqualmie Pass. The National Weather Service says expect a chance of rain and snow before 2 p.m. today, then mostly sunny skies with highs near 45 degrees and light winds. Little accumulation means roads should stay drivable, but bundle up as lows dip to 33 tonight. That snow triggered chaos at SeaTac with 78 cancellations, mostly Alaska Airlines, plus ground stops from icy runways, so travelers check nasstatus.faa.gov before heading out. Snoqualmie Pass stays closed both ways due to spinouts, stranding skiers and causing power outages for 35,000 Puget Sound Energy customers, though crews are restoring service fast. Tragically, heavy winds and rain in Snohomish County felled a tree Wednesday evening, claiming the life of a 25-year-old woman in her vehicle, a stark reminder to drive cautiously near wooded areas like those along I-90. On the business front, another Seattle owner, Zach Abraham, joins Jeff Bezos in fleeing to sunnier spots like Miami to dodge Washingtons new millionaire income tax, warning it could spike downtown vacancies amid nonrecourse loans on commercial real estate. Meanwhile, Starbucks eyes Tennessee HQ perks like 4500-dollar job credits, a shift from our payroll taxes that hits high-wage roles. City Hall stays quiet on daily impacts today, but job markets feel the pinch with business exits thinning opportunities around Pioneer Square. Real estate sees office vacancies climbing toward 25 percent downtown. No major crime in the past day, just weather-related alerts for slick streets near Alki Beach. Schools like those in Issaquah and Redmond saw delays yesterday, but locals cheer Garfield Highs recent math team win at state quals. Looking ahead, community cleanup events hit Discovery Park Sunday, and First Avenues St. Patricks parade gears up next weekend despite the chill. We wrap with a feel-good note: volunteers rallied overnight to clear fallen branches from West Seattle paths, keeping our neighborhoods walkable. Thanks for tuning in, listeners, and subscribe for daily updates. This has been Seattle Local Pulse. Well see you tomorrow with more local updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.