Looks like there’s a great turnout for the Sloops’ Fall Regatta, unfortunately, it will be a case of you should have been here yesterday since we’ve had a steady 15-20 knots from the south since early this morning and it looks like it will increase slowly this afternoon as a strong post-frontal breeze fills from the WSW. In the Strait of JdF, this will bring Small Craft Advisories and Gale warnings which will last until about midnight.
Today’s surface chart shows a moderate high-pressure system off the coast (1032mb) that extends inland to Eastern Washington and Oregon with a weak low-pressure system to the north of Vancouver Island. This combination is what will cause the strong onshore, post-frontal flow down the Straits.
October 16 Mk 1 500 mb 
October 16 Mk 2 500 mb 
October 16 Surface Analysis 
October 17 Surface Forecast 
October 18 48hr Surface Forecast 
October 20 96 hr Surface Forecast
By tomorrow this pressure gradient will be gone leaving the area with light and variable wind for Saturday with the possibility of a weak drainage NE in the morning and a weak SSW breeze late Saturday afternoon.
Sunday morning in the Sound will start with a 15-20-knot pre-frontal SE as another weak system comes ashore. This breeze ease by mid-day and become light on Sunday afternoon.
At least on Saturday if there is any breeze there won’t be much tide to worry about.
Tidal Current at West Point
0948 Max Flood .12 knots
1054 Slack
1454 Max Flood .9 knots
1724 Slack
Yes, I know this looks weird so I have attached the chart below to show you why there are two consecutive flood tides.
Have a great weekend 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)