textproduct: Seattle/Tacoma

SYNOPSIS

A series of frontal systems will bring a return of widespread rain and occasionally windy conditions through the weekend. A trend toward drier and cooler conditions are expected toward the middle portion of next week as the storm track shifts south of Western Washington.

SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/

The latest forecast remains on track this evening with no updates. A trough will push inland tonight and Saturday, ahead of the next strong Pacific frontal system. Pressure is a little higher Saturday morning and coastal flooding is confined to the San Juan Islands and western Whatcom County during the morning high tide. The main impacts with this second system will be strong winds (coast and San Juans), periods of heavy rain (coast and Olympics), and large waves (coast). Winds will peak Saturday night into early Sunday morning. For precipitation totals through the weekend, we are looking at another 1-3" along the coast with 0.50-1.00" in the interior. Most of the rain will fall Saturday night. Due to additional heavy rain in the Olympics, the Skokomish River is at risk of flooding and a Flood Watch remains in effect. In addition, this system is generating large waves offshore that will reach the WA coast this weekend leading to High Surf conditions. 33

LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/

We're under broad, longwave troughing Sunday and Monday for isolated to scattered showers. Temperatures will track closer to average with lows in the 40s and highs in the lower 50s. An upper low will shift E/SE and into Oregon midweek, with some light moisture clipping the WA/OR border. A Rex Block pattern forms toward the end of week over the West. This blocking pattern keeps western WA dry through the end of the week. 33

AVIATION

South flow aloft continues into tonight before transitioning more southwest on Saturday as the next frontal system approaches the Pacific Northwest. Showers continuing along the coast this evening. Predominantly VFR conditions continue into Saturday with periodic MVFR cigs mainly along the Olympic Peninsula and OLM westwards. Post-frontal isolated showers expected tonight into Saturday. The next front arrives Saturday evening along the coast and moves inland Saturday night with increasing rain and winds. Surface winds into Saturday remain southerly with localized gusts to 25 kts along the coast and KBLI.

KSEA...VFR conditions with light rain into this evening. VFR cigs with continued mid level clouds through Saturday. The next front arrives Saturday evening into Saturday night for increasing rain. Surface winds remain southerly, fluctuating between SE/SW at times into Saturday.

JD/Mazurkiewicz

MARINE

A Gale Warning remains in place through this evening across the Coastal Waters with SCA for portions of the interior waters. A brief break early Saturday before southerly winds increase again Saturday ahead of a stronger weather system offshore. A Storm Force Warning has been issued for the outer Coastal Waters Saturday afternoon into Saturday night with gusts of 45 to 55 kts during this period. A Storm Force Watch remains in affect for the inner Coastal Waters. Gale Warnings and Watches are also in affect for the western Strait of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet, eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, and northern inland waters Saturday night. Additional headlines may be necessary for Puget Sound and the central Strait of Juan de Fuca with the next system. South winds will ease a bit on Sunday, but remain elevated, especially for the Coastal Waters. Winds subside further Monday into early Tuesday before increasing again going into midweek with a stronger weather system moving southwards well offshore.

Seas of 20 to 25 feet are expected into Saturday morning. Seas then range 15 to 20 feet Saturday into Saturday night, building again towards 22 feet for the outer Coastal Waters again Sunday. These large waves will also be energetic with a dominant period of 17 to 20 seconds into Saturday. Seas remain elevated before subsiding to 10 to 15 feet on Tuesday. JD

HYDROLOGY

The potential for flooding continues on the Skokomish River with periods of heavy rainfall through the weekend. A Flood Watch remains in effect.

River flooding is not expected on the other rivers in the area in the next 7 days at this time.

SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

WA...Coastal Flood Advisory from 7 AM to noon PST Saturday for Lowlands of Western Whatcom County-San Juan County.

Wind Advisory from 4 PM Saturday to 4 AM PST Sunday for Grays Harbor County Coast-Northern Washington Coast-San Juan County.

Flood Watch through late Saturday night for Olympia and Southern Puget Sound-Olympics-Southern Hood Canal.

High Surf Warning until noon PST Saturday for Grays Harbor County Coast-Northern Washington Coast.

PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM PST Saturday for Grays Harbor Bar.

Small Craft Advisory until 4 PM PST Saturday for Admiralty Inlet-East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- Northern Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands- West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.

Gale Watch from Saturday afternoon through late Saturday night for West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.

Gale Warning from 4 PM Saturday to 7 AM PST Sunday for East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-Northern Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands.

Gale Watch from Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning for Admiralty Inlet.

Gale Warning until 10 PM PST this evening for Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island Out 10 Nm- Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater Out 10 Nm.

Small Craft Advisory until 1 PM PST Saturday for Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island 10 To 60 Nm- Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater Out 10 Nm.

Storm Watch from Saturday afternoon through late Saturday night for Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater Out 10 Nm.

Storm Warning from 1 PM Saturday to 1 AM PST Sunday for Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater 10 To 60 Nm.