TODAY WILL BE THE LAST DAY OF TRANQUIL WEATHER

Kind of an ominous tone for the Western Washington forecast:

…AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN IS IN STORE FOR WESTERN WASHINGTON…TODAY WILL BE THE LAST DAY OF TRANQUIL WEATHER.

HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT THAT HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NICE WEATHER WILL  MOVE EAST…ALLOWING AN UPPER LOW TO APPROACH THE REGION. THIS  SYSTEM WILL BRING SOME RAIN TO THE AREA TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

A STORMY PATTERN WILL BE IN PLACE FOR THIS WEEKEND…AND WILL LAST THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. EXPECT A STRONG SYSTEM TO BRING WINDY CONDITIONS AS WELL AS USHER IN A COLDER AIR MASS ON SUNDAY…

Seattle Tides

Sat  23     High   6:23 AM    10.8             
Sat  23     Low  11:49 AM     5.9      
Sat  23     High   5:05 PM    10.6
Sat  23     Low  11:55 PM    -0.9

Sun  24     High   7:01 AM    11.1      
Sun  24     Low  12:28 PM     6.5     
Sun  24     High   5:33 PM    10.5

Mon  25     Low  12:30 AM    -1.4       
Mon  25     High   7:41 AM    11.3     
Mon  25     Low   1:08 PM     6.9
Mon  25     High   6:03 PM    10.3

Puget Sound Marine Forecast

FRI…S WIND 15 TO 25 KT…EASING TO 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 OR 2 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING.

FRI NIGHT…SE WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT.

SAT…E WIND 10 KT BECOMING S 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT.

SUN…S WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT.

MON…SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT…EASING TO 10 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 OR 2 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.

West Seattle Blog via Twitter suggest that it could be time to get out the batteries and generators.   We think that's that a good start!   You may want to make sure you have candles, boots, gloves and pumps ready too…it's a good opportunity to start thinking about the the "three p's".

Wind and Rain

This morning's post about the weather is no "barking dog report" where I warn of extreme weather…but it doesn't hurt to start thinking about being prepared.

Puget Sound Marine Forecast:

…SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON…

TODAY…S WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

We're heading towards a low tide of 1.4 at 9:49 am and well head up to a 10.6 at 4:43 pm. 

It looks like we may see sunshine tomorrow and Wednesday.

Fog Horns and Last Night’s Sunset

DSC_0132
 
You can barely see the cargo containers on top of this ship through the fog this morning.

DSC_0130 Last night's sunset shows the same smaller boat in the above photo before this morning's heavy fog set in.
 

The Difference a Day Makes

Yesterday…

DSC_0116…and today.

DSC_0118
 
 

Last night’s sunset and the SUN…it’s going to be HOT!

DSC_0124 

Last night's sunset was a treat that's beauty partly caused by a fire on the Olypmics.   The cooler evenings are a welcome relief following our recent hot temps.  

Speaking of HOT, the National Weather Service has issued a HEAT WARNING through 10:00 p.m. Monday evening.  Note: early the NWS had issued a "heat advisory" which has been reduced to a "warning".   Either way, with temps in the mid to upper 90's–it's hot for us sensitive Seattle-ites who are typically never seem completely happy with the weather ("it's too hot" or "it's too cold").

With ongoing temps in the 90s, it's a good idea to check on neigbhors and make sure you don't have any pets trapped in garages or storage sheds.

From the National Weather Service:

* IMPACTS: THE ELDERLY…CHILDREN…AND PEOPLE WHO WORK OUTSIDE
  ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO THE EFFECTS OF HEAT. IF PROPER
  PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN…HEAT EXHAUSTION OR HEAT STROKE ARE
  POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED
  ROOM AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

* CHILDREN AND PETS SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT UNATTENDED IN VEHICLES
  UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES…ESPECIALLY DURING WARM OR HOT
  WEATHER. CAR INTERIORS

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF
DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE HOT TEMPERATURES WILL
CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY.
DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS…STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM…STAY
OUT OF THE SUN… AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

Keep cool and enjoy the weather!

BREAKING NEWS! Sunshine Predicted in Seattle for Saturday and Sunday

Theron Zahn from KOMO-4 is broadcasting off Mee Kwa Mooks Park and Beach Drive covering Seattle's recent and pending weather.  I had a few moments to interview him where he predicted a beautiful sunny day for Saturday.  Sunday will start off a little grey with a marine overcast which should burn off.   Note that it's sunny enough for shadows in the picture!

 Theron

Neighbors, I hope you have a wonderful sunny weekend–we're all due!

Warm Windy Wednesday

I was just on Facebook when I noticed that the West Seattle Blog commented that it's going to be be unusually windy today.   I had just checked the forecast yesterday and the forecast has been modified (which is why it's a good idea to check the forecast).

City of Seattle:  

…WINDY THIS EVENING…

TODAY…INCREASING CLOUDS WITH RAIN DEVELOPING IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGHS 65 TO 70. SOUTHEAST WIND TO 10 MPH RISING TO 20 TO 30 MPH LATE IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…RAIN TURNING TO SHOWERS AND WINDY. LOWS IN THE 40S. SOUTH WIND 20 TO 30 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO 40 MPH. WIND DIMINISHING AFTER MIDNIGHT.

Marine

TODAY…SE WIND 10 TO 15 KT…BECOMING S 20 TO 30 KT LATE. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT…BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MORNING. RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…S WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. RAIN IN THE EVENING…THEN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

THU…SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT…EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT…

Our next high tide is 11.67 feet at 11:06 pm via Twitter.

UPDATE 10:20 am:  the Seattle forecast has updated with a wind advisory starting at 1:00 pm with a chance of thunderstroms.  With temps in the low 70s–it's going to seem like a tropical storm!

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO MIDNIGHT PDT TONIGHT…

REST OF TODAY…PARTLY SUNNY THIS MORNING. RAIN DEVELOPING MIDDAY WITH A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. BECOMING WINDY. HIGHS IN THE MID 60S TO LOWER 70S. NORTHEAST WIND TO 10 MPH…BECOMING SOUTH AND RISING TO 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH THIS AFTERNOON.

TONIGHT…WINDY. RAIN AND A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EVENING…THEN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOWS IN THE 40S. SOUTH WIND 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH THIS EVENING…EASING TO 10 TO 20 MPH OVERNIGHT.

Last Night’s Sunset following the Storm

 DSC_0216
I don't mind a blustery day when it's followed by a beautiful sunset, do you?

Wind Advisory until this evening

UPDATE 9:31pm: WIND ADVISORY EXTENDED UNTIL MIDNIGHT

UPDATE 4:45pm:  WIND ADVISORY EXTENDED UNTIL 9:00 pm. which happens to coincide with the next high tide of 11.17 at 9:06pm.

PUGET SOUND HAS A GALE WARNING  UNTIL 11:00 PM. with 5 to 7 ft waves.

Hopefully the winds are coming in late enough to miss our high tide this morning…we still have our high tide tonight to contend with.

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL THIS EVENING…

TODAY…BECOMING VERY WINDY. RAIN THIS MORNING…THEN SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON. HIGHS 45 TO 50. SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH INCREASING TO 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH THEN BECOMING SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH LATE.

TONIGHT…BREEZY. MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOWS IN THE 30S TO LOWER 40S. SOUTHWEST WIND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH DECREASING TO 10 TO 15 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

Puget Sound Marine Forecast:

…GALE WARNING IN EFFECT…

TODAY…SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT BECOMING S 30 TO 40 KT MIDDAY. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT BUILDING TO 4 TO 7 FT. RAIN TURNING TO SHOWERS AFTER NOON.

TONIGHT…SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT EASING TO 10 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

Talk’n about Gale & Stormy

Ok, settle down you old salty dogs, these aren't the fair-weather countersunk sailors you see sunning themselves on the decks of 50 ft. sailboats.  We're talking about weather classifications.

We hear the terms "small craft warnings" or it's "blowing a gale" often enough to take a  more detailed look at what these terms really mean as far as wind speed and water conditions. Let's start with small craft warnings.

There are no exact definitions for small craft warning and therefore is subjective to the local marine area.  Let's call it lower 20 to just over 30 mph winds where my neighbor Pat may want to delay his standing paddle surfing gig for another day.  You could  expect  2-4  foot waves  with white caps out on the sound for at least a couple of hours.

When neighbor Jeff tells his wife "simmer down Agnes", there's usually a gale predicted to blow on www.beachdriveblog. You can expect winds in the lower 30 to upper 40 mph range. Waves come in at 4 to 6 feet commonly sending spray onto Beach Drive over Emma Schmitz park.

I'm currently in a dense fog of creeping crud caught from my sons that brought it in from high school…

Scupper

Editors Note:  Please welcome a new contributor to Beach Drive Blog who is writing under the alias of "Scupper".    Scupper is a Beach Drive resident and we look forward to more colorful post.   If you live in the Beach Drive neighborhood and are interested in contributing to the blog, please let us know!