Saturday, March 12, 2016
11:21 pm
Just a really quick post… I got back home really late tonight and have to wake up in six hours to go hit the ski slopes and teach some ski lessons!
We’ve got the potential for a strong windstorm on Sunday. There is some uncertainty with the strength and track of this system, and even though those uncertainties are relatively small, a storm even a little bit weaker than forecast and further away from us could leave us with a few broken limbs here in Seattle, while a stronger storm closer to our region could result in widespread power outages.
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| Credit: National Weather Service |
The National Weather Service currently has high wind warnings for Western Washington and Storm Warnings for all waters (excluding the western entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca). Any time there are Storm Warnings for Puget Sound, it’s time to prepare for a major windstorm.
The National Weather Service is calling for gusts up to 70 mph throughout much of the region, including the Seattle area. However, tonight’s models are more bearish with the low. At this point, I’d expect gusts to top out around 50-55 mph for most folks. However, as previously stated, small changes in the track and strength of the low could result in huge differences in wind speeds.
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| Credit: National Weather Service |
Right now, the low doesn’t look all that threatening, but it is developing at a very fast clip right now. Take a look at the water vapor satellite pic below.
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| Image taken 11 pm 3/12/2016 Credit: National Weather Service |
One thing’s for sure – the mountains will a LOT of snow. Even the passes will likely get close to a foot of snow from noon Sunday to noon Monday, so bring chains if you are headed into the mountains. You might need them!
Charlie
