Oops, not really, but it is still fun to remember one of our most favorite races. Probably would have been a nice race with not too much wind just getting a little on the cool side overnight. Then again, if you look at the Surface Analysis Chart and the 500MB Charts you will see the reasons why our weather continues to be wetter and cooler than normal, as we pointed out last week, and why it will continue that way into the coming week.
April 2 500MB 
April 2 Surface Analysis 
April 3 Surface Forecast 
April 4 500MB 
April 4 Surface Forecast 
April 6 500 MB 
April 6 Surface Forecast
Today’s Surface Analysis Chart shows a very complex weather picture with no less than SEVEN Low-pressure systems in the NE Pacific and two areas of high pressure including a fairly strong (1038MB) high well out in the Pacific. The Satellite pic also shows these low-pressure systems and associated fronts. These fronts are relatively weak and slow-moving with one clearing the eastern Strait of JdF now and moving into eastern Washington. The next front will arrive Sunday however it will weaken as it comes onshore. High pressure will begin to build over the area after this weak front dissipates. This will keep the wind speed towards the low end of the scale with the central and eastern Straits seeing westerly breeze near 20-knots Saturday night and early Sunday morning. This breeze will ease by mid-morning Sunday.
April 2 Satellite Picture PNW 
April 2 Satellite Picture North Pacific
The other charts of interest are the 500MB charts which show a distinctly meridional flow to the jet stream as it passes over the top of that high-pressure system before dropping to the south along our coast. This is what will allow fronts associated with these weak low-pressure systems to continue to bring cooler air into the Salish Sea.
The 96-hr 500MB Chart also shows the development of an upper-level cut-off low about midway between San Francisco and Hawaii. It probably won’t move very far and it will be interesting to watch how long it will last out there. Remember, it was two years ago that a similar system stalled over Kauai bringing 48” of rain in 24 hours to the north shore, flooding the Hanalei Valley and causing widespread damage.
Dress warmly, 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)