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SEATTLE-Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a winter storm emergency Wednesday as many Western Washington residents hoped for a traditional rainy Christmas after a week of heavy snow, jammed airports, closed roads and cabin fever."A number of counties and cities are struggling to meet the problems posed by this month's onslaught of snow and winter weather," Gregoire wrote. "Snowfall has reached record or near-record level in 30 of the state's 39 counties."Her proclamation directed state agencies to support local emergency responses, freeing funds and activating the National Guard, the Washington State Guard and State Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray, by Fort Lewis.States of emergency were previously declared locally in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Thurston counties, the municipalities of Spokane, Spokane Valley and Gig Harbor and the Makah Indian Tribe. Gregoire also issued a 10-day temporary waiver of rules that limit the number of hours that a truck driver can haul bulk milk from farms to dairies, a move intended to avoid losses of nearly $1 million a day if milk failed to reach dairies within the time limits set by health regulations. Temperatures rose and light rain was falling across the western part of the state Wednesday, melting some of the ice on streets and roads, but the National Weather Service forecast one more round of snow Christmas morning. Starting Friday, highs were forecast to reach the low 40s in most areas west of the Cascade Range...To read more go to:
As in the days of Noah....
