Our great weather continues with another perfect weekend for boating. The only bad news is that we are behind for rainfall this month. So far we’ve only had .16” compared to an average on this date of .32” so just ½ of normal. We are still 5” ahead for the year and compared to some parts of the country where there is catastrophic flooding or a catastrophic drought, we are pretty lucky.
Today’s surface analysis, 500MB, and sat pic show what is keeping us in this zone. We still have a weak (1031MB) Pacific High that continues to bedevil the Vic-Maui and Pac Cup racers by not stabilizing and being way west of where it should be. Then off of Ketchikan, we have a weak (1006MB) low-pressure system with an extensive attached cold front right off our coast that will make landfall this evening and bring patchy rainfall to the Salish Sea tomorrow morning until it just breaks apart. This low will continue to keep us cool and slightly overcast as it is reinforced by an upper-level cut-off low-pressure system. See the 500MB charts.
This configuration of highs and lows will keep the onshore flow bringing Mother Nature’s air conditioning to the area. Saturday will see a building westerly to 20 knots in the Strait of JdF and a building northerly to Puget Sound. This will continue on Sunday except the Sound will remain light and variable most of the day. By Monday, the high-pressure systems will be firmly in control of the weather around here and the wind will remain light.
We mentioned Hurricane Darby last week and as of today it has weakened and is passing south of the Big Island. Wait, there’s more, Hurricane Six has formed off of Central America with winds of 85 knts and gusts to 105. It should become the fifth named storm of the year shortly. Yes, the Pacific Hurricane season is very active and will make life interesting for Hawaii at some point.
Have a great weekend and use that sunblock!
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)