Heavy Weather Ahead

The weather has turned very nice lately (see plot of temperatures versus normal max and mins), with cool, crispy mornings and sunny, warm afternoons. Some trees have started to turn colors and leaves are already wafting to earth. Just perfect. But more active weather is on the way...but not before our pleasant period continues a while longer.

Thursday will be a repeat of today, but later on Friday a strong system will approach and another will head our way on Sunday. Here is the predicted surface chart for 11 PM on Friday--a strong low west of N. Vancouver Island and LOTS of pressure gradient...and associated strong winds over the offshore waters. As the low moves inland you can expect strong winds to develop in the Strait of Georgia as well.


Here is the forecast sustained wind field at 8 PM (the gusts will be far higher). Lots of sustained 35 knot winds, with gusts probably reaching 40-45 kts.

Associated with the low and strong winds will be a strong current of moisture and fairly heavy rains will fall over the Olympics and mountains of Vancouver Island Friday night (2-5 inches!) and moving into the Cascades on Saturday ...see graphic below of 24-h precipitation ending 5 PM on Saturday.

Don't water your grass. Hiking in the Cascades on Saturday--particularly in the morning-- will require Gortex.

And another low pressure system...with landfall somewhat farther north...will occur on Sunday, bringing more rain to the area. But don't worry, a stretch of sunny, warm weather beckons next week.