The short story is that it is going to be a spectacular weekend! The longer story is that next week we could see record high temps for the Salish Sea.
We continue to have a very weak Pacific High and if you look at the 24hr surface forecast chart you’ll see EIGHT different areas of high-pressure from the Rockies to the mid-Pacific. The other interesting feature on this chart is the small blocks of horizontal, purple bars to the east of the Pacific High as well as off the coast Baja. Two bars mean fog, three bars mean heavy fog and it will be over a huge area. The other feature to watch as we go through the weekend will be the development of that high in southeastern BC. This is going to strengthen and this is what will bring offshore flow to the area and as a result will bring those record high temps. By Monday this high will be at almost 1040mb which will be higher than anything we have seen over the Pacific this summer.
September 4 500 mb 
September 4 Surface Analysis 
September 5 Surface Forecast 
September 6 500 mb 
September 6 Surface Forecast 
September 7 Surface Forecast 
September 8 500 mb 
September 8 Surface Forecast
In the meanwhile, the Pacific High will strengthen to about 1034mb but will still be irregularly shaped and susceptible to being pushed around by those lows coming out of the Gulf of Alaska. That, however, is not going to happen anytime soon because with the jet stream being where it is, these systems will be directed into SE Alaska.
In today’s satellite picture you can still see the smoke from the fires in California and Oregon with the prevailing winds sending it into our area. The little blast of onshore flow we’ll get tomorrow, small craft advisories in the Strait of JdF, will be enough to keep our air quality good over the weekend, however, as the offshore flow develops next week that may have the effect of bringing the smoke from the Eastern Washington fires into Western Washington.
For the most part, winds will be fairly light except as noted above, and then on Monday if you’re bringing the boat back from San Juans you could have quite a ride as the flow will be northerly to 20+ knots over the Eastern Straits, Admiralty Inlet, and Puget Sound.
Be safe, and 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)