Wind Advisory for Whatcom County and Flood Watch for the Nooksack
Urgent - Weather Message National Weather Service Seattle Wa
325 pm pst Sun Jan 10 2010
A very strong frontal system is approaching the coast tonight. A pair of surface waves will move northeast along the front. The first is a strong surface trough that will affect the area tonight. The second wave is a more developed surface low that will reach the area late Monday. Each of these features will tighten the pressure gradients across the region...producing very windy conditions along the coast and over the Northwest Interior,Whatcom County.
San Juan county-western Whatcom County-western Skagit county-Admiralty Inlet area-
The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Wind Advisory for the Northwest Interior including Whatcom County...which is in effect from 6 pm this evening to 4 am pst Monday.
Winds: sustained south to southeast winds of 30 to 39 mph or gusts of 45 to 57 mph can be expected to develop this evening.
Timing: winds will develop this evening with the period of strongest winds mostly likely between 8 pm and midnight. Winds will decrease gradually after midnight.
Impacts: the main effects will mostly likely be power outages and small branches snapped off of trees.
Precautionary/preparedness actions...
A wind advisory is issued when sustained winds of 30 to 39 mph or gusts of 45 to 57 mph are likely. Winds this strong can snap small tree branches...topple small or shallow-rooted trees...and cause local power outages.
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Flood watch
National Weather Service Seattle Wa
1120 am pst sun Jan 10 2010
An approaching frontal system will bring periods of heavy rain to the Olympics and North Cascades tonight through Tuesday...and possibly into Wednesday. Strong southerly low level winds will produce the heaviest rain over the south slopes of the Olympics and over the far North Cascades. The initial period of heavy
rainfall will occur tonight through Monday morning...with another period of heavy rain expected later Monday. This weather system will be warm with the snow level above 6000 feet over the Olympics and above 5000 feet over the north cascades.
Clallam-Grays Harbor-Jefferson-Mason-Whatcom County
Flood watch in effect from Monday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon...
The national weather service in Seattle has issued a Flood watch for portions of western Washington...including the following counties...Grays Harbor...Clallam...Jefferson...Mason...Whatcom.
From Monday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon
This is a strong wet frontal system. Low level southerly winds aloft of 50 to 60 knots will produce strong upslope flow over the Olympics. Between 5 and 7 inches of rain may fall in the 24 hour period ending at 4 pm Monday afternoon. This will likely drive the Skokomish river above flood stage sometime late Monday. Other rivers and streams draining off of the Olympics may also reach flood stage late Monday or Tuesday morning.
Heavy rain is also expected over the far North Cascades around the Mount Baker area. Heavy rain will develop over this area later tonight and continue into early Monday afternoon. After a brief lull a second period of heavy rain will occur Monday night. Around 5 inches of rain is expected in the 36 hour period ending 4 am Tuesday morning. Flooding is possible on the Nooksack river system late Monday night or Tuesday morning...but It is not yet certain.
Precautionary/preparedness actions...
A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on the current forecasts. Those living in areas prone to flooding Should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.Monitor forecasts from the national weather service for the latest updates or warnings.
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