What to expect when fall finally arrives in the NW: Today So Far

• Fall rain is arriving later this week. That's good news for wildfire fighters and air quality, but it's concerning for health officials bracing themselves for a Covid and flu surge.
• There is also concern among food banks anticipating greater demand once pandemic orders phase out.

This post originally appeared in KUOW's Today So Far newsletter for October 18, 2022.

I know I've been saying this for about a week now, but fall is finally arriving ... soon ... it's coming ... I promise ... eventually. I'm going by information from the National Weather Service, which now says rain is expected to show up on Friday, Oct. 21. It should be a significant amount, too. More rain is expected to drop on Western Washington Friday through Sunday than in the past 3.5 months.

"So that should be good in terms of helping put some of these fires out," Carly Kovacik with the National Weather Service in Seattle told KUOW this morning. "In terms of flooding, we're not gonna be expecting a whole lot in terms of river flooding, because the rivers are pretty dry right now. But we'll have to see, there could be some issues with some flash flooding nearby some wildfires where areas have burned already."

This is welcome news for folks fighting wildfires in the Cascades, and for folks waiting for air quality to improve. But it's also news that makes local health officials concerned. Cold temps and rain usually mean that people head indoors, and that is when the season of sick begins. We often talk about the flu this time of year, and that is still expected to be a major player over the coming months. So is Covid. Europe is already seeing cases rise, and those countries are usually a few weeks ahead of the USA. Dr. Jeff Duchin, health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County, feels that we are in the "lull before the storm." Right now, levels of cases and hospitalizations are higher than they have been before previous surges. Read more here.

It seems the coronavirus is gearing up for the upcoming, colder season. New variants are emerging and battling it out for dominance. They all have the usual super-catchy names (BA.4.6, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BF.7). All these variants are showing up in Washington state. Here's the thing to understand: These are all versions of omicron, according to the White House's own Covid-19 data director. So the updated booster, out now, is the best shot (pun!) to prepare for the season. Talking about getting a shot sort of feels like how we talked about the flu shot each year, in the Before Times. I guess that is where we are at now. Come fall, get your Covid and flu shots.

Health officials aren't the only ones nervous about the coming months. Before the pandemic struck in 2020, about 10% of Washingtonians were experiencing food insecurity. That number has tripled since then. As KUOW's Ruby de Luna reports, food bank organizers are "bracing for longer lines and increased demand" when Seattle, and the state, lift any remaining Covid emergency orders at the end of October.

“Everyone else has sort of gone on with their lives, but the people at the low end of the spectrum cannot go on with their lives, because they’re being squeezed terribly at the bottom end of the economy," said Rainier Valley Food Bank Executive Director Gloria Hatcher-Mays.

One last shout out. Check out these photos from Saturday's Mariners game. KUOW's Natalie Newcomb captured some great Seattle moments from the historic game.

AS SEEN ON KUOW

Smoky haze tinted the lights in T-Mobile park, Saturday, Oct. 15. Fans cheered, put rally shoes on their heads, and many also prayed. The six-plus hour long game was one of the longest playoff games ever. But fans were willing to wait; they waited for the Mariners to return to the playoffs for 21 years. (Natalie Newcomb / KUOW)

DID YOU KNOW?

I've avoided going full-blown Halloween factoids this month, but I can't hold off any longer. Halloween is the best holiday after all. Others seem to agree. The National Retail Federation (NRF) is expecting total Halloween spending for 2022 to hit $10.6 billion in the United States. That's an all-time high, rising above pre-pandemic levels.

The NRF also expects spending on costumes to rise to $3.6 billion this year, with adults outspending kids on their costumes (as it should be). It should also be noted that people seem to be spending more money each year on costumes for their pets. I'd make a snarky comment about that, except ... the other day Nina was asking about costume ideas for Cosmo ... anywho ...

According to the NRF, there are some costumes we should expect to see more of this year. The following are the top 10 Halloween costumes expected for 2022:

• Kids: Spider-Man; princess; witch; ghost; other super hero (Batman); pumpkin; zombie; vampire; pirate; Superman.
• Adults: Witch; vampire; ghost; pirate; cat / Batman; zombie; Spider-Man; Dracula; devil; princess.
• Pets: Pumpkin; hot dog; bat; bumblebee; witch; lion; spider; ghost / cat; super dog or cat; devil.

Personally, I'm a big fan of humorous / pun Halloween costumes that are usually drawn from modern headlines. Like, is someone going to dress up as the driest summer on record? Or smoke-tainted wine? Or perhaps dressing up as Daniel Radcliffe dressing up as Weird Al? Maybe going retro as an old Almost Live! sketch? If you're planning for any quirky costumes, I'd love to hear about it. Email me at dyer@kuow.org.

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