There’s numerous wind to speak about on this blog–a vital Pacific cyclone will make landfall on the Northwest coast tomorrow….and robust winds will outcome.
However earlier than I get into that, there was a blow this morning in western Washington as a strong chilly entrance went by way of from roughly 7-8 AM. Beneath is the Camano Island radar picture at roughly 7:15 AM under, with the arc-shaped frontal characteristic in yellow to crimson.
This characteristic is an intense slender chilly frontal rain band, and was related to winds gusting to round 50 mph, a fast wind shift, and a major temperature drop. The fashions had it, however underplayed its energy.
The utmost winds this morning are proven under. 55 mph at SeaTac, 69 mph in Bellingham, and over 60 mph on the coast. No marvel there are about 100,000 clients out of energy within the area.
The Storm
However that is only a “heat up” for the occasion of tomorrow afternoon and night.
Offshore, satellite tv for pc imagery reveals a large cloud characteristic over the northeastern Pacific, one thing attribute of the stronger storms.
The most recent UW mannequin forecast of sea degree strain (strong strains) at 10 PM tonight reveals a powerful 970 hPa low middle off the southern Washington coast, with a really robust strain gradient (change of strain over distance) to the south and west of the low.
It is a traditional construction for marine midlatitude cyclones. At the moment there will probably be a powerful north-south strain distinction and robust winds from southern Oregon to the Bay space.
Twelve hours later (10 AM Tuesday) the low makes landfall on southern Vancouver Island and a hyper strain gradient builds over the Oregon coast. Count on winds gusting to 60-80 mph and energy outages alongside the coast and within the Willamette Valley at the moment.
However the inside of western Washington will get its flip. By 4 PM tomorrow, the low will transfer into southern BC and an intense strain gradient will develop over the western Washington lowlands, producing highly effective southerly winds gusting to 50-65 mph. Extra energy outages are possible, notably with saturated soils.
However the robust wind enjoyable is just not over. Because the low strikes inland, a big east-west strain distinction will develop over the Strait of Juan of Fuca, producing highly effective westerly winds that may convey issues to Whidbey Island and Snohomish County.
For example, the anticipated wind gusts at 9 PM tomorrow are proven under.
Simply to be clear. This isn’t the Columbus Day storm. Or the Chanukah Eve storm of 2006. However this can be a vital occasion and a few will lose energy. Please steer clear of bushes throughout the strongest winds tomorrow afternoon and night.
We’re shut sufficient now in time to be assured {that a} main blow will happen tomorrow. So make sure that your batteries are contemporary and your electronics are charged up.
