.
The National Weather Service, which has issued a high-wind warning for the North Olympic Peninsula, especially along the coastal areas of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Pacific Ocean and Hood Canal, has just issued a storm briefing detailing what we can expect between now and Saturday.
Download it here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew/stormbriefing_1April-2010_Wind_MtnSnow-Web.pdf (You must have Adobe Acrobat installed.)
A winter storm watch for snow down to 1,500 feet in the Olympics — plus heavy wind gusts — also has been issued.
Port Angeles native Scott Sistek, who is on the staff of our news partner, KOMO-TV, and holds a University of Washington degree relating to meteorology, has an excellent narrative on what to expect. After reviewing the official bulletins below, click to read Scott’s weather observations here: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/89707192.html
The official National Weather Service bulletins follow:
Along the coast:
ADMIRALTY INLET AREA-EASTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-WESTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-
A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO 9 PM PDT
FRIDAY.
* A STRONG WESTERLY SURGE OF WIND WILL OCCUR BEHIND THE FRONT
LATER FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE WIND DIRECTION WILL
SHIFT FROM SOUTHEASTERLY TO WESTERLY BRINGING THE STRONGEST
WINDS TO THE STRAIT…AND AREAS NEAR WHIDBEY ISLAND. EXPECT
THE POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS OF 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH
TO SUBSIDE LATE FRIDAY EVENING.
* THE VERY STRONG WINDS COULD RESULT IN SOME POWER OUTAGES
ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON FRIDAY DUE TO POWER
LINES BEING DAMAGED BY TREE LIMBS. SOME OF THE REGIONS TREES
HAVE BEGUN TO LEAF OUT ALREADY…WHICH COULD ADD TO THE
POTENTIAL FOR WIND DAMAGE TO OCCUR. RAIN SOAKED GROUND COULD
ALLOW TREES TO EASILY TOPPLE OR BECOME UPROOTED.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED
OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS
OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.
In the mountains:
A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING.
* ANOTHER STRONG PACIFIC STORM IS EXPECTED TO DROP 1 TO 2 FEET
OF SNOW ON THE OLYMPICS ABOVE THE 1500 FOOT LEVEL BY LATE IN
THE DAY FRIDAY.
* PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW WILL BE ACCOMPANIED AT TIMES BY STRONG
SOUTHWEST WINDS. EXPOSED RIDGES WILL OCCASIONALLY HAVE GUSTS
TO NEAR 60 MPH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY.
* THE SNOW IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY AFTER MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT…WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW OCCURRING FRIDAY MORNING.
EXPECT THE STEADY SNOW TO TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS LATE FRIDAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR
HAZARDOUS…WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS.
