Heavy storm approaches western Washington

The most powerful storm in years is about to hit parts of Western Washington, according to a University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences professor Cutting fair.

Mass told KIRO Newsradio that a cyclone developing in the Pacific is equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane.

“It will be as strong as a hurricane in terms of wind speed and size,” he explained.

However, because this storm develops differently and has a different source of energy, it is called a “cyclone” instead.

“They’re just as intense, but we don’t call them hurricanes,” Mass said.

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Mass expects strong winds along the Washington coast and Vancouver Island on Tuesday with gusts up to 60-80 mph. Downed trees and power outages are likely, he said.

“There could be a significant impact here in western Washington because this very deep low offshore will create a big difference in pressure across the Cascades,” he warned.

The hardest hit areas will be the Cascade foothills.

“Places like Enumclaw, Black Diamond and North Bend are going to get some extremely strong winds. Some of these winds can even extend as far as Sea-Tac Airport. It will be very windy Tuesday afternoon and evening,” Mass said, expecting gusts of 60-80 mph.

Mass notes that such weather events are rare.

“We get lows off the coast, but this is going to be something extraordinary. This is going to be one of the strongest in probably a decade or so offshore. It’s going up very quickly, unusual. It’s happened before, but it’s an unusual event ,” he explained.

On downwind storms, he added, “We get strong winds here every three to five years, a really strong wind every 10 or 20. This one is potentially on the strong side, but we’ll have to see.”

Mass advises residents to prepare now.

“There is an extremely good chance of power outages along the coast and in the foothills on the west side of the Washington Cascades. If you live there, be prepared for a power outage,” he said.

For those who live closer to Puget Sound, the impact will not be as severe.

“If you get away from the mountains, it’s going to be windy. Winds will probably pick up to 20-40 mph, but it won’t be the damaging kind of winds that we’re going to see in the foothills or on the coast,” Mass said.

The coming storm is not just a typical weather event, but an extraordinary storm that has been building rapidly.

“This is going to be one of the strongest in probably a decade or so offshore. It’s going up very quickly, unusual,” Mass stressed.

The combination of the cyclone and the downwind storm makes this an important event for the region.

Residents in the affected areas are encouraged to take precautions.

“If you live there, you must be ready for a power cut. This is a good chance,” advised Mass.

Preparing for potential power outages and securing outdoor items that can be blown away by strong winds are important steps to take.

Similar news: Wind advisory ends after gusts reach 50mph in western WA

The storm is expected to bring hurricane-force winds to the Washington coast and Vancouver Island, with significant impacts in the Cascade foothills. While the Puget Sound lowlands will experience windy conditions, the most severe weather will be in the foothills and coastal areas.

With the storm’s rapid development and the potential for high winds and power outages, residents are urged to prepare now for what could be one of the strongest storms in recent years.

Interview transcript:

Charlie Harger: Cliff, thanks for joining us today. We don’t call these hurricanes, but am I right that this is what you call a bomb cyclone?

Cutting mass: That’s it. In fact, it will be as strong as a hurricane in terms of wind speed and size. The only reason we don’t call it a hurricane is because its origin is different. Hurricanes develop over warm water, which gives them their energy. Our storms get their energy from another source, the north-south temperature change. So they are low pressure systems, they are cyclones. They are just as intense, but we don’t call them hurricanes.

Charlie Harger: But if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s something, and at least it’s going to cause a lot of wind and rain. Where will it be affected by this? Is it the Washington coast, BC coast? What do you expect?

Cutting mass: Well, there are several effects. There will be very strong winds along the coast. In some places along the Washington coast and especially the coast of Vancouver Island, winds can gust up to 60 to 80 mph. Interestingly, there could be a significant impact here in western Washington because this very deep low offshore will create a large difference in pressure across the Cascades. We get the winds to accelerate as they go from east to west down western Washington. So I expect downwinds in the foothills so places like Enumclaw, Black Diamond or North Bend are going to get some extremely strong winds. Some of these winds can even extend as far as SeaTac Airport. It will be very windy on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Charlie Harger: You don’t usually use words like “extremely strong.” Can you give us an idea of ​​how powerful this might be?

Cutting mass: In these areas we could get wind gusts up to 60 to 80 mph. There may be power outages. It’s something we get once in a while, the cold downwind storm. Enumclaw is very famous for that, and it looks like we’ll be getting one of those again on Tuesday.

Charlie Harger: And this is a direct result of the cyclone on the coast?

Cutting mass: That’s right. It is created by this kind of phenomenon, a large difference in pressure across the Cascades with an intense low offshore.

Charlie Harger: How often does this sort of thing happen? And with that, I think that would be two questions because of the cyclone in the Pacific and also these downwind storms.

Cutting mass: We get lows off the coast, but this is going to be something extraordinary. This will be one of the strongest in probably a decade or so offshore. It goes up very quickly, unusual. It has happened before, but it is an unusual occurrence. For downwind storms, we get strong winds here every three to five years, a really strong wind every 10 or 20. This one is potentially on the strong side, but we’ll have to watch it.

Charlie Harger: OK, so it’s going to be almost an hour-by-hour situation?

Cutting mass: Yes. The models are very good and especially coming into Tuesday morning we should know what will happen.

Charlie Harger: So your advice might be to start preparing now, especially if you are in the foothills or one of the areas you have mentioned. Maybe start preparing for potential power outages?

Cutting mass: That’s right. There is an extremely good chance for power outages along the coast and in the foothills on the west side of the Washington Cascades. If you live there, you should be ready for a power outage. This is a good chance.

Charlie Harger: Let’s see from e.g. Olympia to Everett. What does it look like along the Puget Sound lowlands?

Cutting mass: If you get away from the mountains, it gets windy. Winds will likely gust up to 20 to 40 mph, but it won’t be the damaging kind of wind that we’re going to see in the foothills or on the coast.

Charlie Harger: OK. And just briefly, how do we look after the winter season in general? I hear there are some models that say it can get a little cold.

Cutting mass: We are in a La Niña period, which means the tropical Pacific Ocean is colder than normal. It usually has a correlation with our weather here. In La Niña years, we tend to be cooler than normal, a little wetter than normal, with more snow in the mountains. This is not the strongest La Niña in the world, but we are trending in that direction.

Charlie Harger: What’s it like at your weather station, your forecast center, when you see something like this developing? Do you take a double look? What goes through your mind when you see it?

Cutting mass: We have our little conversations online between meteorologists and of course people are very excited about this. There is a lot of traffic on the web about it right now. We love weather. Most meteorologists love weather, and we especially like extreme weather.

Charlie Harger: Well, let’s hope it’s one of those storms that’s exciting but doesn’t cause much damage, and we can all say, “Wow, that was crazy.”

Cutting mass: I have to be honest. If you’re on the coast or in Enumclaw, it’s going to be crazy. So be ready.

Charlie Harger: Okay, Cliff Mass. Thank you for your time today.

Charlie Harger is news director for MyNorthwest and KIRO Newsradio. Follow Charlie on X here and email him here.

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