It’s beginning to look a lot like a typical June in the Pacific Northwest, some sun, some clouds, some rain, some lightning, some hail, and as we said last week, no summer until the 5th of July. At least the first official day of summer is only 8 days away, arriving on the 20th of June, 1444 hrs PDT which means we can’t be too far away from the lowest tides of the year and the best time to take the kids on a beach walk. Remember, take pictures not critters, and be sure to turn the rocks back over once you’re done investigating. This year that would be on June 23rd at right around noon with a -2.38 foot tide at Discovery Bay or -2.71feet at West Point.
June 12 500mb 
June 12 Surface Analysis 
June 13 Surface Forecast 
June 14 500mb 
June 14 Surface Forecast 
June 15 Surface Forecast 
June 16 500mb 
June 16 Surface Forecast
Here in the rainshadow of the Olympics at Discovery Bay, we’ve had .87 inches of rain so far today which is very near a record for June for this location. Overall, at SeaTac, we are almost 4” of rain ahead for June and as you look at the surface charts for today, it ain’t about to stop! At least the Doppler weather radar is showing some relief headed our way, not so much for Seattle or the South Sound.
The reason for all this continues to be a depressed jet stream which is primarily zonal. The jet stream continues to be well south of where it should be on this date. Even with the days getting longer in the northern hemisphere, which should be causing atmospheric heating and fostering a strengthening of the Pacific High, this is not yet happening. Then when you look at the upper air charts you’ll see a succession of upper-level low-pressure systems continuing to move towards the Pacific NW.
Overall, this means more unsettled conditions coming into our area for most of the upcoming week. With higher pressure offshore this will bring a continuing onshore flow that will come down the Straits as well as around the bottom side of the Olympics. This will keep the wind light in the central Sound but there will be occasional stronger westerlies in the central and eastern Strait of JdF.
Stay healthy, stay dry, and enjoy the 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)