Saturday will be pretty much a repeat of today with cloudy, overcast conditions, plenty of wind in the Straits (34 knots of westerly at Race Rocks now), and light and variable conditions in the Sound.
The current surface analysis chart, sat pic, and upper-level charts all confirm that not much is going to change for tomorrow. We still have a weak high-pressure system offshore and a weak trough of low-pressure inland with another trough of low-pressure offshore. As that trough dissipates offshore and slides to the SE, Cape Mendocino will see gale force conditions and steep seas, a typical summer pattern. The isobars over the Salish Sea will be quite far apart so very little pressure gradient.
By Sunday an approaching front coming out of the Gulf of Alaska will tighten the gradient in the Sound bringing light air to the Straits, partly cloudy conditions to the Sound with a nice 10-14 knot northerly. Clearly the nicest day of the weekend.
Expect more clouds for next 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)