Windy Friday as Active Weather Returns

 FastCast—Friday, Feb. 3 to Monday, Feb. 6:

A windy day is ahead on Friday as a storm system makes landfall on Vancouver Island around midday. Winds will increase Friday morning and peak in the afternoon, hence the Wind Advisories and High Wind Warnings that are in effect for Western Washington. Expect peak winds of 35-45 mph in the lowlands, 45-55 mph for Whidbey Island, areas from Everett to Mount Vernon, and the Central Coast. The strongest winds are expected in Whatcom County and the San Juans, with gusts of 55-60 mph expected. Power outages and tree damage are expected across Western WA, most likely where winds gust 50+ mph. Through Monday night, expect 0.4-0.9 inches of rain in the lowlands and 1-3 inches on the coast. Significant mountain snow is expected as well, most late Friday to early Saturday and from late Sunday to late Monday. At the passes, expect a total of 12-24 inches of snow, with travel delays possible. Through Monday, expect lowland highs in the upper 40s to low 50s, with lows in the low to mid 40s.

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Continue reading the full blog below!

A windy system is expected on Friday, with strong gusts expected for Western Washington. Let’s take a look at some forecasts. 

Below is the NWS NBM model forecast showing winds at 3 PM Friday.

The NBM shows winds gusting 35-45 mph in the lowlands and 40-55 mph on the coast, Admiralty Inlet area, and Whatcom/San Juan Counties.

Next, the HRRR forecast, showing winds at 2 PM Friday.

The NAM shows a stronger solution, with gusts approaching 50 mph across the region, and higher gusts of 55-60 mph in Whatcom/San Juan Counties.

Finally, let’s take a look at the NWS Seattle forecast, which shows a blend of all these forecasts, and roughly parallels the European model’s forecast (not shown).

This forecast paints the general picture of 35-45 mph winds in the lowlands and 50-60 mph on the coast and Whatcom/San Juan Counties.

Across the region, be prepared for tree damage and some power outages, with peak winds on Friday afternoon.

Rain and generally active weather will return as the storm track moves back toward Western Washington. Below is the European model forecast for rain through Monday night.

The European model shows 0.4-0.9 inches of rain in the lowlands, 1-3 inches on the coast, and 0.1-0.25 inches in Eastern Washington.

This sets the stage for a necessary snowpack boost over the next few days, as our snowpack has dropped to 80-90% of average. Below is the European model forecast for snow through Monday night.

The European model shows 12-24 inches of snow at the passes through Monday night. Most snow will fall from late Friday to early Saturday and from late Sunday through Monday. Travel delays are definitely a possibility, so stay updated if you’re traveling cross-state.

This snow (and more that is expected next week) will help push our snowpack back toward (or above) average levels.