Looks like about 60 boats have signed up for the “NEW” FwBR and it should be beautiful. Unfortunately, today would have been the perfect day for the race even going on the longest of all three courses. Current conditions (1300hrs) Pt Townsend NW at 15, FwB N at 13, Edmonds NW at 16, West Pt NW at 15. Tomorrow, not so much. We will be following the typical post-frontal pattern in Puget Sound which says that the best day for wind is the day immediately following frontal passage as a ridge of high pressure builds over the NW and that would be today.
It’s called the “New” FwBR because the center of activities has now moved across the Sound from Edmonds to Kingston where the race will now start and finish. With an early start from Edmonds or Shilshole, you can still make the first gun at 1000am. Kingston is a great place and a great venue for pre and post-race activities, now if only the wind would cooperate…
October 1 500 MB 
October 1 Surface Analysis 
October 2 Surface Forecast 
October 3 500 MB 
October 3 Surface Forecast 
October 4 Surface Forecast 
October 5 500 MB 
October 5 Surface Forecast
The other problem tomorrow will be the tides.
Tidal Current at Foulweather Bluff:
0654 Slack
1024 Max Flood .88 knots
1648 Slack
As you can see from today’s surface analysis chart, yesterday’s front has moved off to the east with our weak Pacific High still providing us some protection from winter storms. For our friends in SE Alaska, not so much. Please note the blocks that say Rapidly Intensifying and Developing Hurricane Force just off of Dixon Entrance. By tomorrow, the ridge that is building today will substantially weaken tomorrow as the next front approaches and the Pacific High weakens. There will be little to no pressure gradient over the area tomorrow until late tomorrow afternoon when we may see 3-4 knots of wind from the NNE, a direction not know for stability. By late Saturday night and into early Sunday morning the wind will clock around to the “normal” pre-frontal SE direction while remaining light, as in less than 8-10 knots.
For the rest of the Salish Sea, we can expect winds to remain light and variable through Sunday. A stronger system will move through the area Tuesday.
Tomorrow will be sunny so use the sunblock and enjoy the day.
Ed. Note: PSSC small boat is also on the calendar for this weekend as is the Northwest Interscholastic Sailing Association singlehanded championships, both off Shilshole Bay Marina. -KH
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)