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A robust Pacific cyclone is now approaching landfall and its highly effective winds have already brought on large energy outages over Oregon, the place over 100,000 clients are in the dead of night as I write this.
Washington State is subsequent.
Infrared satellite tv for pc imagery reveals the large-scale cyclone over the West Coast (see beneath). Large in scale.
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An in depth-up seen picture this morning reveals the circulation with the low west of Westport.
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Now the thrilling half: the coastal radar on Langley Hill close to Hoquiam is selecting up the circulation offshore (see beneath). Very useful. I at all times suppose appreciably of Senator Maria Cantwell after I see such photographs (she performed a important position in securing the {hardware}).
The Toxic Tail
Oceanic midlatitude cyclones have a construction totally different than cyclones over land, and the present storm isn’t any exception.
Under is the evaluation of sea degree stress (strong strains) and wind gusts (colour shading) at 4 AM this morning. You’ll discover a big stress change and robust winds on the Oregon Coast, which led to plenty of energy outages.
However do you see the strongest winds and enormous stress gradients to the south and west of the low middle? That is named the “toxic tail”. And that tail will attain western Washington later this afternoon.
The utmost winds from midnight to 9 AM at this time thus far are proven beneath. Uncovered areas within the coastal mountains of western Oregon skilled 80-90 mph gusts, whereas 60-70 mph gusts raked the coast. Southwest Washington had 50-60 mph gusts. Robust winds additionally hit japanese Oregon.
The Forecast
This isn’t a straightforward forecast. The winds at any explicit location will probably be critically depending on the precise path of the low
The UW mannequin forecast has the low weakening a bit and transferring throughout the northern Olympic Mountains by 1 PM, with an enormous stress gradient (and robust winds) over NW Oregon. Not good for Portland.
By 10 PM tonight the low is in southern BC and a big stress gradient is over western Washington. The early night would be the time of strongest winds over western WA. Southerly winds over Puget Sound and highly effective westerly winds in Strait. Anticipate winds to speed up in western Washington round 4 PM.
The NOAA/NWS HRRR mannequin has an analogous resolution, and let me present you its newest forecast (began at 9 AM) for the strongest winds via 7 PM.
Robust winds (50 mph+) alongside the coast and Strait. Central and northern Whidbey will probably be hit onerous. 50 mph+ gusts from downtown Seattle to Olympia. Loopy robust winds on uncovered larger terrain of the central/southern Cascades.
The European Heart mannequin is taking the low on a extra southerly path, which might be much less threatening.
This storm is typical of one of many stronger cyclones we get every year, however not like one of many majors (Columbus Day, Inauguration Day, Chanukah Eve). Its observe shouldn’t be optimum, it’s weakening on landfall, and different causes.
In case you are dwelling in western Washington, you’ll be smart to cost your electronics now and put together for an influence outage. Keep inside in the course of the strongest winds later this afternoon and night.
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