3/23 Hairy bittercress, virus and pollution, electric rigs, orca sighting, tulip view closing

*EDITOR'S NOTE: Access updates without charge on the COVID-19 virus at national and regional print publications like the CBC, the Seattle Times, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.

Hairy bittercress [WikiMedia Commons]

Hairy bittercress Cardamine hirsuta
Most prolific from late fall through early spring.  This weed is most problematic in propagation and overwintering.  Plants form a small mounded clump generally 4 to 8 inches tall and wide.  However, during warm summer months, bittercress generally grow much smaller.  Often, many seedlings germinate in a small area so that they appear as a large, dense mat. As if bittercress weren't bad enough by itself, it also is a refuge for aphids. Snapweed is the name of choice in British Columbia. (Oregon State University)

Traffic and Pollution Plummet as U.S. Cities Shut Down for Coronavirus
 In cities across the United States, traffic on roads and highways has fallen dramatically over the past week as the coronavirus outbreak forces people to stay at home and everyday life grinds to a halt. Pollution has dropped too. A satellite that detects emissions in the atmosphere linked to cars and trucks shows huge declines in pollution over major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, Chicago and Atlanta. Brad Plumer and Nadja Popovich report.(NY Times)

Big Rigs Begin to Trade Diesel for Electric Motors
Tractor-trailer fleets will take time to electrify, and start-ups and established truck makers are racing to get their models on the road. Susan Carpenter reports. (NY Times)

UPDATE: Orcas pass West Seattle
[Sunday PM] Transient killer whales are in the area, southbound off Fay Bainbridge State Park at last report. Closer to the west side of Puget Sound, though, so you’ll definitely need binoculars. Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip. (West Seattle Blog)

Roozengaarde, Tulip Town closed to foot traffic
Tip-toeing through the tulips won’t be an option this year. The two major tulips growers that are the anchors of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, RoozenGaarde and Tulip Town, have made decisions to limit public access with the growing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jacqueline Allison report. (Skagit Valley Herald)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  229 AM PDT Mon Mar 23 2020   
TODAY  SW wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft  at 14 seconds building to 7 ft at 13 seconds in the afternoon.  Showers and a slight chance of tstms. 
TONIGHT  S wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SE to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 9 ft at 12 seconds.  Showers likely and a slight chance of tstms in the evening then a  chance of showers after midnight.




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