It’s pretty strange to be looking out the window watching the snow come down for the second day this week. Speaking of seconds, how about breeze in the south Sound for the second weekend in a row. Then for our friends in the Straits and San Juan Islands BIG breeze (25-30 knots) Saturday afternoon and into Sunday. The Girts Rekevics Foul Weather Regatta will certainly live up to its name! The Jim Depue Race and those heading out from Elliott Bay and Shilshole to practice for Blakely Rock will have some wind in the morning, however, as mid-day approaches, a convergence zone will be setting up over the Center Sound making conditions a bit light and flukey. At least it will be wet AND cold, all at no extra charge.
The aurface charts have a number of interesting features. We have a front over Western Washington this afternoon which will move east of the Cascades this evening, followed by a strong post-frontal westerly flow tonight and into Saturday. Then a stronger front will move over the Pacific Northwest Saturday night and Sunday with gales possible for the coastal waters and Strait of Juan de Fuca. A very weak high-pressure system will try to set up on Monday only to be blown out by another front on Tuesday. Welcome to late winter weather in the Pacific Northwest.
Perhaps the most interesting feature on these charts is the very summer-like high-pressure system that was snuggled up to the coast of California last weekend. It has gotten slightly stronger (1040 to 1042MB) and rounder both of which means that it’s probably not going to be easily moved from its current position. Combined with a relatively straight-line jet stream will continue to push storm systems over the top of the high and into the Pacific Northwest.
As you should anytime you go boating around here, prepare for the worst and really watch conditions. Remember the definition of heavy weather: It’s anytime you and your crew are not comfortable with the conditions. Don’t take unnecessary chances and don’t put yourself, your crew or your boat in dangerous situations.
Have a great weekend.
Bruce has raced and cruised the Pacific Northwest his entire life. He earned a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Washington in Biological Oceanography and learned meteorology “to keep from getting kicked around on the race course.” Bruce spent nearly two decades as Associate Publisher for Northwest Yachting Magazine, retiring in mid-2015, and was the chairman of the board of trustees for the Northwest Marine Trade Association in 2014. (photo of Bruce driving Playstation is a bit dated, but cool)