3/8 Northern lights, state budget, geoducks, sea wall, Port Angeles harbor

Hood Canal starfish (K. Kennell)

Tomorrow, March 9, I’ll be taking a day off and there will be no Salish Sea News and Weather. Be back with you on Monday, March 12. Mike Sato

With a little luck, residents of Western Washington could get a good view of the aurora borealis Thursday night. A big solar flare, combined with a chance for clear skies over Western Washington on Thursday night, could offer up a rare chance to see the northern lights. Northern lights may be visible Thursday in Western Washington   If you like to watch: Solar Flare Heads Toward Earth

Will they? Democratic plan may pass budget, avoid special session  Or won’t they? Partisan budget snaggle leads to special session; date unknown

Close to 20,000 acres of Washington tidelands are used to farm various types of oysters and clams. But one species of clam has stood out in recent years because of concerns over the environmental impacts of farming them. The science is starting to come in, but the jury’s still out on the long-term ecological impacts of increased geoduck farming. Ashley Ahearn at EarthFix reports on Farming Geoducks: A Mixed Bag For Tidal Critters

The deteriorating sea wall along Alaskan Way is at risk of crumbling in an earthquake or severe storm. Voters could be asked to support a $270 million bond sale to pay for most of a $330 million project. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn announced his transportation agenda on Wednesday saying he will focus on winning approval for a property-tax measure to build a new sea wall.  Mayor's 'action agenda' includes sea-wall vote, delays roads levy

The Washington Department of Ecology extended the public comment period on two draft reports detailing the results of a large-scale sediment sampling effort in Port Angeles Harbor. The comment period, which began Feb. 23, was extended to a 90-day comment period and will now end on May 22.   Ecology Extends Comment Period for Port Angeles Harbor Study

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 247 AM PST THU MAR 8 2012
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR WINDS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST TODAY
TODAY
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING THIS AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT...SUBSIDING. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SE WIND 5 TO 10 KT...BECOMING S AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 13 SECONDS. SLIGHT CHANCE OF RAIN.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to: msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.  

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told