It may be a bit damp and gloomy over much of the Salish Sea right now, however, it won’t last. Even though I can barely see across the Sound, there are many pleasure boats out and cruising and getting ready for what may be a prolonged stretch of very nice weather.
Today’s satellite picture shows some clearing in the Strait of JdF as well as off the coast, so it will get nicer.
The surface analysis chart for today shows a reasonable high-pressure system (1032mb) off the coast with two weak low-pressure systems inland which will drive an onshore flow of breeze down the Strait of JdF through the weekend resulting in a small craft advisory for the Central and Eastern Strait. Nothing too unusual for this time of the year.
July 17 500 mb 
July 17 Surface Analysis 
July 18 Surface Forecast 
July 19 500 mb 
July 19 Surface Forecast 
July 20 Surface Forecast 
July 21 500 mb 
July 21 Surface Forecast
By tomorrow, the Pacific High will become more rounded and more stable bringing a strong northerly to northwesterly flow to the offshore waters. The two low-pressure systems inland will merge to form a weak low-pressure trough (1014mb).
Sunday will see the Pacific High drift towards the coast which will give the Pacific NW some beautiful weather and have the effect of driving storm systems in northern BC and SE Alaska.
The 72hr forecast chart shows a weak series of low-pressure systems coming across the Pacific with attached frontal systems which could slightly impact our weather by Wednesday and Thursday.
So enjoy the weekend, stay safe, and stay healthy.
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)