Yep, It's nasty enough outside!!! Here's KOMO's update: We know November is usually stormy, but...
Story Published: Nov 14, 2006 at 11:21 AM PST
Story Updated: Nov 15, 2006 at 3:52 PM PST
By Scott SistekWatch the videoWe've had so many storms lately, that I guess it makes sense Mother Nature would try to sneak two in at the same time.
A storm coming in today actually has two centers -- sort of like a barbell in a way. That doesn't change the forecast too much -except to give us two punches of wind instead of one.
The first punch was the weaker one, and it came inland in the early morning hours Wednesday. The second one is a little stronger and was coming ashore Wednesday afternoon.
A HIGH WIND WARNING remains in effect until 5 p.m. for the coast, until 7 p.m. for the Northwest Interior, (which includes western Whatcom County as well as Skagit, Island, and San Juan Counties, and the general Admiralty Inlet area) and the Hood Canal area. Strong south winds of 30-40 mph gusting over 60 mph will continue through the warning period. A Wind Advisory remains in effect 10 p.m. for the Puget Sound area and Kitsap County areas east of the Hood Canal. Winds there will continue to be 30-40 mph gusting to 50 mph.
Here's a list of peak gusts as of 3 p.m.
Tatoosh Island: 86 mph
Sekiu: 77 mph
Clallam Bay: 70 mph
Sequim: 70 mph
Hoquiam: 68 mph
Bangor Sub Base: 66 mph
Anacortes: 65 mph
Oak Harbor: 66 mph
Forks: 62 mph
Bellingham: 63 mph
Friday Harbor: 59 mph
Vail (Thurston Co.): 59 mph
Brinnon: 55 mph
Tacoma: 53 mph
Everson: 53 mph
Port Angeles: 49 mph (this was due to a weather squall going through)
Olympia: 46 mph
Everett: 45 mph
Seattle: 41 mph
We have received numerous reports of trees down in the Bellingham and Whidbey Island areas, as well as eastern Clallam County. Scattered power outages are also occurring in the Northwest Interior and along the Hood Canal area -- the Naval sub base at Bangor says they're having power outages as well.
Strong winds also forced the closure of the Hood Canal Bridge for four hours until it reopened around 2:30 p.m. and suspended ferry service along the Port Townsend-Keystone run.
Still a lot of rain
While it looks like the wind is going to be the top story with the storm, it's also bringing heavy rains once again. This system has once again tapped into some warmer, tropical air, meaning not only will we have to deal with a lot of rain -- as much as 1-3 inches in the lowlands and 2-5 inches in the mountains within 12-18 hours -- but high snow levels up around 6,000 feet. That will allow the rain to just runoff into the rivers instead of sticking to the hillsides as snow.
The good news is that there are three differences to this storm than the one that set all the records last week: size, speed, and temperature. This storm is geographically smaller than the Nov. 6 storm. It's also moving faster. So instead of the 36-hour drenching we took last week, this storm should only last 12-18 hours and any flooding that occurs should be minor. Also, the snow levels, while still very high, will be about 4,000 feet lower than Nov. 6, alleviating a little extra pressure on the rivers.
Overall, a FLOOD WATCH remains in effect for rivers in Clallam, Jefferson, Skagit, Whatcom, King, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, Snohomish, Grays Harbor, Thurston, and Grays Harbor Counties.
The most likely rivers that would go over flood stage are the Skokomish, Tolt, and Snoqualmie rivers, but flooding is expected to be minor.
The Nooksack, Skykomish, Satsop, White, Chehalis and Snohomish rivers are going to get close to flood stage, and might go over a little bit, causing some minor localized flooding as well. The Cowlitz and Cedar rivers are already over flood stage due to dam releases and will likely stay that way.
What about cross-mountain travel?
Snow has changed to rain the passes for Wednesday afternoon, but will change back to snow Wednesday night.
Snow levels stay under pass level Wednesday night and Thursday, making for additional snow.
Does this ever end?
Long range forecasts show a break for Thursday through Saturday, with just light scattered showers at times -- maybe even a peek of sun here and there. High temperatures will drop to around 50.
However, we have yet another warm and wet system similar to the one coming in Wednesday for Sunday. Highs will climb into the mid 50s again under a heavy rain.
We calm down again for Monday and Tuesday with lingering showers and cooler temperatures in the upper 40s to near 50.
How wet has it been?
We're still on pace to shatter Seattle's all-time wettest month. Right now, we're at 11.39" of rain, just behind the 11.62" record for November, set in 1998. Overall, this is, so far, the 5th wettest month ever and we're closing fast on No. 1 of 12.92" set in January of 1953.
Incidentally, No. 3 on that list is January 2006. This marks the first time in Seattle's recorded history that we've had two months in the same year with more than 10" of rain.
Of course, those in Forks are thinking: "Eh, big deal." That city *averages* over 14" of rain every November.
But it does go to show the "feast or famine" with rain this year. 2006 will go down as having two of the wettest five months in Seattle's history, as well as the driest summer ever.
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