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Another High Wind Warning for East Puget Sound Lowlands/Foothills 01/18 Late

Strong 969 MB Low off the NW Coast/2nd of the week 01/18/10

Local STRONG EAST winds of 40 to 50 mph with gusts as high as 80 in and around ENUMCLAW late on the 18th and into the early morning on the 19th of January.  The 2nd strong low pressure system about 250 miles off the NW Coast will move north into early Tuesday increasing the easterly surface pressure gradients across the Cascades.  The strongest winds were in and around Enumclaw, but I also found stronger gusts in the  Cascade foothills including strong wind reports around Snoqualmie, North Bend , Bellevue & Issaquah, also the Pacific Co. area.

A High Wind Warning was Effect until 2 am Tuesday, January 19th for the East Puget Sound Lowland/foothills and Pacific Co. including Long Beach and Raymond.

High Wind Warning SW WA/Foothills & OR Coast

At 8:57 pm on the 18th, a trained spotter 4 miles WNW of Enumclaw reported an East wind sustained at 50 mph with gusts to 80 mph. 01/18/10

It was Very Windy 01/17 & 01/18 in All of Western WA, Reports Listed

The following are maximum wind speed reports from around Western Washington Sunday night the 17th of January into Monday morning:

Arlington 37 mph sustained wind with gusts to 51 mph.  Bellingham 36 to 61.  Boeing Field 25 to 45. Sea-Tac 25-43. Bremerton 23 to 38. Chehalis 30 to 41. East Sound 21 to 54. Everett/Paine Field 33 to 60. Friday Harbor 35 to 53. Hoquiam 37 to 62. McChord AFB 35 to 51. Olympia 37 to 55.  Quillayute 29 to 61.  Shelton 20 to 49.  Whidbey Island 40 to 63. Anacortes gusts to 54. Lopez Village 36 to 57.  Crystal Mtn. 71 to 113.  Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics 68 to 127.  Mt. Baker 45 to 65 miles per hour. Alki Point -West Seattle 44 to 59.  Destruction Island 64 sustained with gusts to 70 mph.

The worst of the wind was between 11pm on the 17th until the early morning on the 18th.  Here are some of the late night reports.

Sea-Tac S 24 G36 @ 5am, McChord AFB S 35 G 48(4am), Everett S 29 G 43(4am)(3am gusts to 56)(6am G40), Fort Lewis SE 25 G 40, Bellingham SE 22 G 43(Gusts to 38 at 6 am), Friday Harbor SE 30 G 47(gusts to 51 at 6 am), Whidbey Island NAS SE 23 G 46(gusts to 58 at 2 am), Forks S 29 G 61 mph, Hoquiam S 30 G 51(gusts to 60 at 3am), Arlington gusts over 50, Olympia has seen a gust to 54 mph

Stormy in Southern California the Week of 01/18/10

Winter Storm Warning Ventura Co./Los Angeles Co. Mountains except Santa Monica Range

A very powerful west to  east Jet Stream (150-200 mph) will allow a series of powerful Winter storms and each one will bring periods of Heavy Mountain Snow/Heavy Rain & Thunderstorms to the lowlands and High Winds in areas the week starting January 18th, 2010.

1st storm-mainly Monday had some gusts in the mtns. as high as 75 mph.  The snow is not expected to affect the I-5 corridor with the first storm, it is important to note that strong winds and heavy rain will still create dangerous driving conditions.  Strong thunderstorms are likely again with hail, strong wind gusts, and isolated weak tornadoes or waterspouts on Wednesday & Thursday.  Long Beach, Huntington Beach and Santa Ana had a tornado warning as a thunderstorm cell with strong rotation moved overhead from 1 to 2 pm on the 19th.  A waterspout was sighted at 1:02 pm moving NE toward the coast at 30 miles per hour.  The TORNADO WARNING  continued until 2 pm for Anaheim(Walt Disney Land), Santa Ana, Irvine and Huntington Beach.

Another STRONG storm system will affect the forecast area Wednesday and Thursday, January 21st.  The snow level was between 6,500 & 7,000 ft. on Monday and then lowered to 5,000 ft. Monday night the 18th.  A WINTER STORM WARNING was in effect from 6 am Monday until Tuesday evening on January 19th above 6,000 ft. and included the cities of Acton, Mount Wilson, Sandberg, Lockwood Valley & Mount Pinos.  More heavy snow showers and damaging winds will be likely Wednesday afternoon and evening into Thursday and Thursday night.  2 to 4 feet of snow above 6,000 ft. is likely and the snow level on Thursday will likely drop to 4,000 ft. in places.  Don’t forget to carry chains, blankets and water/food while traveling in these conditions. Wind will likely be out of the S and SW 35 to 50 mph with Gusts to 75 mph.

Flash Flood Watch continues for the recent burn(Station & Morris Burn areas) in Southern CA. Monday’s storm brought up to 2″ of rain to the coasts and valleys and 2-5″ to the mountains where the snow level was 7,000 ft.  Tuesday’s storm had heavy rain and up to 2″ again with isolated tornadoes.  More is expected Wednesday and Thursday.

3 storms will likely bring a total of 4-8″ of rain in coastal and valley areas and 8-16″ in the foothills with local amounts over 20″ in the mountains.  This will likely be the wettest week since early 2005 for S. CA.  Mountain snow could add up to several feet per storm.  Snow level lowers to between 5,000 and 6,000 ft. for storm 2 (Tuesday) and 3 (Wednesday-Thursday).

A HIGH Surf Advisory starts at 6am Tuesday to 3 am Friday for large groups of swell that will start arriving at the beaches by Tuesday morning.  Dangerous Rip Currents will form and moderate to extensive beach erosion is likely with minor coastal flooding and possible damage to some piers.   1st group will be a long period 15 sec. west swell @ 10 ft.  2nd group will be 17 sec. 15 ft. and 3rd group will have maximum sets to 22 ft. on Thursday. The 4th and largest will be a 17 sec. foot west swell with max sets to 25 ft. on Friday.  Even the most experienced swimmers should stay out of the water during this extreme weather event.

2nd Week Comparing the Extended Forecasts for Seattle 01/11/10

The 2nd week comparing the extended forecasts for Seattle & simply looking at the highs and the lows matched with Official Readings.

The official reading for Monday the 11th of January:  45/57 and rain all day 1.07″ @ Sea-Tac with no peeks of sun!  It was breezy to windy @ the coast, NW Interior & Olympics.  Hurricane Ridge had a peek gust to 115 miles per hour.    KIRO had 55 with rain and windy with no sun= they were only off by 2 so -2 is the score.   Q-13: 54 rain/breezy with no sun = -3.  KING: 54 rain with a few peeks of sun=  -3.  KOMO: 53 rainy= -4 because they were off by 4 for the high temperature.

Tuesday’s official reading on the 12th of January: 47/53 and .53″ , we had rain, no sun, but the rain was heavier on Monday.  KIRO: 44/52 breezy, showers, few peeks of sun= -3 for the low and -1 for the high =-4.  Q-13: 43/53 rain, -4 for the low & dead on for the high=total of -4.  KING: 43/49 rain @ times, few peeks of sun, -4 for the low & -4 for the high=-8.  KOMO: 46/52, -1 for the low and -1 for the high=-2.

Wednesday’s official reading: 46 for the low at Sea-Tac and a RECORD for the high was tied at 56.  We had limited sun breaks and it was rainy.  27″ with windy areas (Rainfall for the month so far is 4.50″, about twice our average.   KIRO: 41/49 showers/few peeks of sun, -5 for the low and -7=-12. Q-13: 41/50 sun & showers, -5 for the low and -6 for the high=-11. KING: 42/48 peeks of sun & few showers, -4 for the low & -8 for the high=-12.  KOMO: 41/49 mostly cloudy, few showers and peeks of sun, -5 for the low and -7 for the high=-12.

Thursday’s official reading on the 14th of January. Flood Watch-Cool 45/48 and .28″ rainly again at Sea-Tac.  KIRO: 41/51 they had mostly dry/a stray shower with sun peeks, -4 for the low and -3 for the high=-7.  Q-13: 40/50 sun & showers symbol, -5 for the low and -2 for the high=-7.  KING: 39/48 dry symbol with sun breaks, -6 for the low and dead on for the high=-6.  KOMO: 39/47 dry with sun and clouds mixed is what they had, -6 for the low and -1 for the high=-7.

Friday’s official reading on the 15th of January=44/51 and .42″ rainy again with some river flooding off of the Olympic mtns.  KIRO: 40/50 breezy, showers, few peeks of sun, -4 for the low and -1 for the high=-5.  Q-13: 41/48 sun & showers symbol, -3 for the low and -3 for the high=-6.  KING: 37/49 mostly cloudy, showers, sun peeks, -7 for the low -2 for the high= -9.  KOMO: 40/48 pm showers symbol with few sun peeks is what they had, -4 for the low -3 for the high= -7.

TOTALS:  Monday through Friday the closest to the actual forecast LAST WEEK 01/04/10 goes to Q-13 with -17 points while the others were pretty much tied from KOMO -23, KING, -24 and KIRO -26.  THIS WEEK goes to KIRO -30, then Q-13 -31, KOMO -32 & KING -38.  I will take Monday’s extended 01/18/10 and compare it for the week ahead Good Luck !

Winter Weather North of NYC all the way to Boston

Winter Weather Advisory Boston-Winter Storm Warning N & W

Snow/Sleet/Freezing Rain/Slush North of NYC

Rain will spread into the Boston Metro this evening and may mix with or change to sleet for a few hours.  Freezing Rain is also possible in SW Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut back into northern N.J. By 2 am into the morning commute it likely changes to snow, a 2 to 6″ combo is likely as low pressure across Virginia and North Carolina strengthens and passes just South of Nantuckett Monday morning the 18th of January.

High Wind Sunday Eve. 1/17/10 into Monday for the Coast/Strait/Olympics/Bellingham/Mt. Vernon/Whidbey Island/San Juans

Strong Low off the WA Coast Late on 1/17 & am 1/18

High Wind WARNING -Brownish Orange Shaded Area 30-40 G 60-65mph

A strong Pacific low pressure system is developing and will intensify late Sunday the 17th into early on Monday the 18th of January.

Pacific Co., which includes Raymond and Long Beach WA down to Astoria, OR,  has a High Wind Warning from 7 pm Sunday the 17th to 8 am Monday.  A High Wind Watch has been upgraded to a WARNING and is in effect form Sunday evening the 17th through Monday morning the 18th.  This is for the central & north Washington Coast, the Western Strait of Juan de Fuca & the Olympic Mountains and from Whidbey Island into the San Juans and the Bellingham to Mt. Vernon Areas.  Strong SE winds are expected to develop and possibly reach as high as 30 to 40 miles per hour SUSTAINED with Gusts to 60 to possibly 65 mph especially exposed ridges and open beaches/headlands.  The wind should shift to the south and SW early Monday and ease by noon.  A wind advisory has been issued for most of the rest of  Western WA including Seattle until the morning of the 18th, Monday.

More Snow In the UK & Most of N. Europe

The jet stream is a fast moving river of air in the upper levels of the atmosphere and it has shifted further south than normal.  It usually brings in warmer air into northern Europe from the west, but it’s is over Spain and the prevailing winds have been coming in from the east and north-i.e. the Arctic, Scandinavia and Russia.  This has made for all of the snow in the UK and most of northern Europe for several weeks.  Here’s my favorite videos.

Record Daily Maximum Rainfall @ Quillayute, WA 01/15/10 (Near Forks)

2.27″ of rain fell @ the Quillayute Airport 01/15/10.  This breaks the old record of 1.73″ in 1976.

Quillayute/Forks Area of WA

Elwha in Clallam Co. 3″ of rain was the 24hour total.

10 am on the 15th 4 miles NE of Vail, WA a trained spotter reported a wind gust to 61 mph. (Thurston Co. WA at Lake Lawerence sustained East wind of 40-45 mph with a gust of 61mph)

Rivers that had A Flood Warning 01/15 & 01/16

FLOODING Ended on the Bogachiel, a WARNING for minor flooding had been posted.  Heavy rain on the morning of Jan. 15th, 2010 with a total of 4 to 5 inches is driving the Bogachiel river above flood stage near La Push, WA in Clallam County.   At 9am on the 15th the stage was 35.9 feet and flood stage is 37.0 ft, the river will rise above flood stage around 1 pm Friday the 15th and crest or top off near 37.4 ft around 4 pm Friday.  The river crested at 37.4 ft at 1 PM and will continue to fall on Saturday.  State Highway 110 near the Bogachiel Bridge is flooded and had to be closed.

FLOODING has ended on the Skokomish River near Potlatch in Mason County until the evening of the 16th.  At 6 am on Friday the 15th the stage was 16.6 ft and flood stage is 16.5 ft.  Minor flooding is occurring and the river will continue to rise and will crest( top off )near 16.9 ft around 4 pm today, Friday.   The Skokomish river will cause widespread flooding of pasture lands with water flowing quickly over East Bourgault Road and Skokomish Valley Road.

Do not drive any vehicle through flooded area.  As the National Weather Service says, “turn around don’t drown” !

A FLOOD WATCH ended -Saturday the 16th of Jan. for Greys Harbor Co. The flood watch for the rest of Western WA has ended early.  The heaviest rain has occured on the Coast and the South or SW facing slopes of the Olympic Range and N. Cascade mountains.  Storm totals of 6 to 8 inches.

Do NOT Drive Through Flooded Areas !

Record High Tied @ Sea-Tac Airport & Broke at the Weather Service Office

Record high of 56 was tied at the airport.  The same temperature occurred in 1986 & 1919.

Record High of 54 degrees was set at the National Weather Service office.  The old record was 53 in 2004.

The Average High is 45 and the Average Low is 36.  We had limited sun breaks today and .20″ Rain at the airport.   Our record low was 11 degrees in 1950.  Burrrrr !!