Our very strange weather continues and I think we are glad we don’t live in California, the Midwest, the South, or the East Coast. My impression is that they are really ready for this summer to end. Still, lots of fires in BC so the smoke and haze are going to be with us for a while. This is because as you can see from charts we have a 1031MB high which is not very strong but then again there is really no jet stream to push it around, just an out of season low-pressure system with an attached front that will impact the Pacific NW about next Wednesday or Thursday.
We also have a weak low-pressure system on the other side of the Cascades which give us a weak onshore flow with a breezy westerly in the Straits late this afternoon and into the evening. This flow will become a southerly through the San Juan Islands and into the southern Strait of Georgia. Unfortunately, it won’t be breezy for the Northern Century, then again, what else is new. The interesting feature is that around midnight tonight, the onshore flow will kick in and start coming south into the Strait of Georgia resulting in a northerly just about the time the first boats should be getting to the top mark. This northerly will continue into Sunday because of higher pressure in BC and lower pressure to the south.
Unfortunately, after about 0200 hours Saturday morning, the onshore flow will ease and the breeze will become very light in the San Juan Islands. The real challenge will be to see if anyone tries to take the shortcut south through San Juan Channel since slack at the south end is at around 0600 hours. Right now I have the SC-50 making it to Turn Rock at 0530 hours which would be cutting it a little close since the wind is going to glass off right around then which will mean waiting out the flood until around 1300 hours. The next wind coming down the Straits of JdF will show up about mid-afternoon on Saturday which depending on the pressure gradient from Forks to Bellingham may be slowed when the ebb starts to roll about 1500 hours. Luckily, when the wind does finally come down the Straits, it will last until about midnight Saturday which should get most folks across the finish line. As always, a very challenging race in a very beautiful part of the world.
For the rest of the Pacific Northwest, it will be pretty much a perfect weekend to own a powerboat. Have a great time, and be safe.
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)