Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 23, 24, 25, and 26 Feb. Nice wx today and tomorrow, just don’t get used to it.

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs 1 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 23, 24, 25, and 26 Feb. Nice wx today and tomorrow, just don’t get used to it.

If this relatively nice weather has you thinking about getting out on the water and maybe having a practice day before the start of Center Sound next weekend, Saturday will be the day. If, on the other hand, you want a heavy weather practice day, Sunday will work. Then it will return to rain, wind, and coolish temps for all of next week.  

The charts for today and tomorrow show an interesting layout for the weather this weekend with weak low-pressure systems to the north and south of us. Offshore, the Pacific High remains unusually stable at 1038MB at 42N 152W with weaker high-pressure on the east side of the Cascades. Today’s sat pic shows the stronger low-pressure system with its front as the classic comma shape off the central California Coast. The higher resolution sat  pic shows very little cloud cover over the Salish Sea and that will hold for tomorrow.

February 23 Surface Analysis
February 24 Surface Forecast
February 25 500 MB
February 25 Surface Forecast
February 26 Surface Forecast
February 27 500 MB
February 27 Surface Forecast

For Saturday this configuration of highs and lows will create a strong onshore flow coming down the Strait of JdF and through the Chehalis Gap. This will result in a nice southerly flow of 10-20 knots over the Central and South Sound, extending north into Admiralty Inlet and the San Juan Islands. Over the day on Saturday the flow down the Strait will become the dominant feature and flow through the Chehalis Gap will ease. By late afternoon and into the early evening Saturday the SW breeze in the Straits will build and extend into San Juans. This will bring a lighter breeze to the Sound and Admiralty Inlet.

Feb 23 Sat Pic
Feb 23 PNW Sat Pic

On Sunday the 995MB low with attached frontal system over Haida Gwaii will drift slowly to SE and aim for the Salish Sea. This will have the effect of increasing the NW flow down the Strait of JdF and through the Chehalis Gap. By mid-morning expect 15-25 knots of westerly in the Straits, and 10-20 knots of southerly in the Central and South Sound. YES, even in Olympia. 😊

By mid-afternoon on Sunday, the flow down the Straits will increase to 25-35 knots while flow in the Central and South Sound will increase to 15-25 knots. Yes, even in Olympia. The other interesting feature of this will be that the convergence zone in the North and Central Sound will be very small and relatively fast-moving as it comes down the Sound. After dark in the North Sound and Admiralty Inlet expect 25-35 knots of NNW.

Oh yeah, there will also be rain on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc etc. Right now we are about an inch behind for the month but that may change by the end of the month.

Have a great weekend!      

Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 Feb. Toliva Shoal Race.

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs , 0 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 Feb. Toliva Shoal Race.

This weekend’s weather will be very similar to last weekend with the surface analysis chart, Sat Pic, and 500MB Chart all providing insight into what will be happening around us.  We have a large area of low pressure (975MB) just off the coast with a secondary center (984MB) still just off the Aleutians with a frontal system that extends from the Aleutians southeasterly to just off of San Francisco before curving off to the southwest to the Hawaiian Islands. Notice also the tightly packed pressure gradient between the low off of our coast and the high-pressure system (1039MB) centered inland over lower BC, a whopping 64MB difference. The high wind warning chart from NWS Seattle shows the easterly flow through the gaps in the Cascades with the highest winds of 40-60mph (not knots) in the areas east of Tacoma near Snoqualmie Pass, and Enumclaw.  Everybody in Olympia is rubbing their hands in anticipation of this extending into tomorrow. Unfortunately, it won’t.

February 16 500 Mb
February 16 Surface Analysis
February 17 Surface Forecast
February 18 500 MB
February 18 Surface Forecast
February 19 Surface Forecast
February 20 500 MB
February 20 Surface Forecast

The current wind speeds show this easterly flow is taking the usual path of least resistance out to the Pacific Ocean with 34 knots reported at Crystal Pass, Cape Elizabeth, the mouth of the Straits, and La Perouse Bank, 29 knots at Westport, Crystal Mountain, and Race Rocks, and only 4 knots at Olympia. Bummer. The problem will be that as this weakening cold front that is over us moves to the east, the ridge of high pressure will rebuild on the east side of the Cascades. As usual, the best wind will be in the 12 hours following frontal passage. After that, in the absence of another strong front, the pressure gradient will ease. The SE breeze will hold along the coast and in the Strait of JdF as the front stalls along the coast. The pressure gradient will continue to ease over the weekend.

For Toliva Shoal it will be mostly a light air drifter as you drag race from hole to hole. The wind will start as a 2-4 knot northerly in Budd Inlet, and then shift to a northeasterly in Dana Passage. By the afternoon the wind will shift to the SW in the Nisqually Reach but remain in the 2-4 knot range. By late afternoon expect a weak northerly at Toliva Shoal. Luckily tides will 1 knot or less. By early evening the breeze will continue to ease, luckily very smart people are running this race and they know when and where to shorten the course. Plus, the post-race at OYC is always a great time.

Have a great weekend!

Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 Feb. Winter Shaw Island! Working on wind for Toliva Shoal……

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs 0 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 Feb. Winter Shaw Island! Working on wind for Toliva Shoal……

Another exciting week of weather for the NW and the rest of the USA. California got pounded with rain, snow, and wind (a recorded gust of 162mph!). The good news is that the NWS got the forecast pretty much exactly correct. The new computers are making the forecasts and modeling systems truly more accurate. Our tax dollars are at work!

February 9 500MB
February 9 Surface Analysis
February 10 Surface Forecast
February 11 500MB
February 11 Surface Forecast
February 12 Surface Forecast
February 13 500MB
February 13 Surface Forecast

The bad news is that yesterday the NWS announced a La Niña warning beginning in August of this year and we are not yet done with El Niño. Remember in the good old days these events would be separated by 5-7 YEARS not months. There are also discussions to add a Category Six to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale because of an increasing frequency of stronger storms due to global warming. Just ask California about that!

Today’s surface chart shows a familiar scenario with a large low-pressure system in the Aleutians, three other low-pressure systems in the central Pacific aimed at the PacNW, and a weak Pacific High(1028MB) roughly centered at  30N 140W with a lobe extending  NE into the PacNW. The Aleutian low has an impressive front that extends from the Aleutians’ east to almost Haida Gwaii before curving SW to the west of the Hawaiian Islands. Since the Pacific High is relatively weak, this large frontal system will brush the high aside and come into the PacNW late Sunday and into Monday. The combination of the weak high and the coastal buffer zone will have the effect of degrading the front so don’t expect much rain in the lowlands or snow in the mountains. California will also get more rain. The other three low-pressure systems will combine to slide into the PacNW on or about Wednesday. Still not bringing us much significant moisture.

The prevailing wind for the weekend will be a pre-frontal SE with the most wind being along the coast (15-25 knts) with slightly less wind in the Eastern Strait of JdF and the San Juan Islands. The Central and South Sound will have light air for Saturday with slightly more Sunday. Should be a good Winter Shaw Island Race.

The other charts of interest today are the 48Hr Surface Forecast chart and the 500Mb Charts. The 48Hr chart is particularly interesting because the Roser Low Index is the highest we have seen this year with a record 22 separate low-pressure systems in the North Pacific. The heck with the Groundhog seeing his shadow, we have plenty of winter still coming our way. As always, the question will be how much of that moisture will be converted into snowpack.

The 500Mb charts still show a consistent zonal flow across the Pacific, with the jet stream coming ashore south of San Francisco. This will keep temps on the cool side for the coming week with no warming trend in sight. For the lowlands, we can expect highs in the upper 40’s and lower 50’s with lows in the upper 30’s and lower 40’s.

Now about the Toliva Shoal Race, right now it looks a little on the light side as the lows will remain in the Gulf of Alaska and the Pacific High will be pushed to SE. This will keep the pressure gradient eased. We will have an update next Friday. Regardless of the weather, the hospitality in Olympia will, as always, be great.

Don’t forget that tomorrow is the last day of the Big Seattle Boat Show, so don’t miss that!

Have a great weekend!

Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for Groundhog’s Day and 3, 4, 5, and 6 February. Seattle Boat Show Opens!

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs 0 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for Groundhog’s Day and 3, 4, 5, and 6 February. Seattle Boat Show Opens!

After years of begging for more rain and snow, California is now getting plenty. Yesterday, some locations in Southern California got as much rain in one day as they get for the entire month of February. Once again, the Pacific NW is very lucky with some typically mild conditions. For January we got 6.31” of rain compared to an average of 5.76” so a good .55” ahead for the year. Remember also that a year ago we only got 3.09” in January. Please also note that for the 2nd of February, we are already .06” behind for the month.  The upcoming week doesn’t look like there will be much added to the total. Just another gray, mild, week in the Pacific NW.

February 2 500MB
February 2 Surface Analysis
February 3 Surface Forecast
February 4 500MB
February 4 Surface Forecast
February 5 Surface Forecast
February 6 500MB
February 6 Surface Forecast

Today’s surface chart and sat pics show a trough of low pressure along the coast with a mild (990MB) low-pressure system just off the coast. This low will slide south along the coast over the weekend and dissipate, allowing a weak ridge of high pressure to build over the Salish Sea. As you can see from the 24hr (3 Feb) surface forecast chart there will be little pressure gradient over the Salish Sea so don’t expect much wind anywhere. A perfect day to go to the Boat Show. Sunday will be a better day for sailing, at least in the Central Sound as a nice northerly flow will be in place for the day slowly building over the afternoon and into the evening. We could have as much as 15-20 knots by mid-afternoon from Pt No Pt to Commencement Bay with very little rain. Note also in the sat pics the cool, unstable air behind the trough.

The 48hr (4 Feb) surface chart is, as usual, one of the most interesting as it shows the next low with attached frontal system headed into California before it slides up the coast and into the Pacific NW. This system will have dumped most of its moisture before it gets to our area. It is also interesting to note the Pacific High (1035MB) centered at 40N 150W which is almost a normal summertime location.

The Jet Stream remains zonal across most of the Pacific before becoming more meridional as it approaches our coast. It still comes ashore well south of us near the California/Mexican Border, this will keep the temps cool but at least above freezing in the lowlands. This will also help preserve our snowpack.

Enjoy the weekend and enjoy the Boat Show.

Ed. Note: I’ll be showing Swiftsure Yachts’ Allures 45.9 at Bell Street on Sunday afternoon. – Kurt Hoehne

Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 Jan. Depending upon where you’re boating this weekend, there could be plenty of wind and oh yeah, rain.

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs 0 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 Jan. Depending upon where you’re boating this weekend, there could be plenty of wind and oh yeah, rain.

We started the week with a deficit of rainfall and as of today we are only .2” behind and that will probably be gone by the middle of this week. While San Diego and the rest of California certainly got the brunt of this week’s rain, it is pretty nice today from Pt Conception south. Judging by the surface charts and 500MB Charts, California will continue to get most of the rain however Oregon and Washington will get pretty close to their seasonal norm.

January 26 500MB
January 26 Surface Analysis
January 27 Surface Forecast
January 28 500MB
January 28 Surface Forecast
January 29 Surface Forecast
January 30 500 MB
January 30 Surface Forecast

Today’s surface analysis chart shows a weak high-pressure system (1025-1028MB) off the lower California coast with nine low-pressure systems scattered across the North Pacific. The low off of Haida Gwai has a cold front that extends from the Gulf of Alaska to just west of Hawaii. Combine this with the track of the jet stream, today’s sat pics and you can see why it will be a wet weekend on the West Coast.

The surface forecast chart for the 27th does show an interesting phenomenon for tomorrow with fog and heavy fog in gale conditions off the coasts of Oregon, Washington, and Vancouver Island. Does not sound like fun to me.

For the rest of the Salish Sea, the usual areas will get breeze: coastal waters, the east end of the Strait of JdF, Admiralty Inlet, and the San Juan Islands. The areas that are traditionally breeze-deprived (the South Sound) will remain so.

As we mentioned above, the other interesting charts are the 500MB or upper-level charts which show the jet stream and it is cranking. Earlier this week a flight from Taipei to LA recorded a speed over ground of 826 mph with the help of a jet stream of 250 mph. As you can see, the flow is still very zonal across the Pacific until it gets almost to our coast where it takes a bend to the NE.  

With these systems coming ashore with regularity we can expect a warm front this afternoon, it’s already blowing 36-knots at Destruction Island. We’ll have another system with breeze on Sunday and then Tuesday into Wednesday. At least temps will remain on the mild side.

Enjoy the weekend. Stay safe and monitor the weather before you leave to go anywhere!

Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 Jan. Racing is heating up, not so much the temperature.

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs 0 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 Jan. Racing is heating up, not so much the temperature.

January is just that kind of a month, a little bit of everything. At least we’re not getting what’s happening in the Midwest and East Coast. We were ahead on rainfall for the month for a while, but not this week as we are now .67” behind. As you will see, this will probably be erased this coming week.

Today’s sat pic is especially interesting as it shows the series of fronts we have headed our way. It also shows the next front headed into California. Then if you combine the sat pic with the surface analysis chart you will see why we have gale warnings in the Strait of JdF. With another ridge of high-pressure inland (1043MB) and 995MB low just offshore, that is a pretty steep pressure gradient.

January 19 500 MB
January 19 Surface Analysis
January 20 Surface Forecast
January 21 500 MB
January 21 Surface Forecast
January 22 Surface Forecast
January 23 500 MB
January 23 Surface Forecast

That gradient will ease substantially by Saturday morning bringing light air to the Salish Sea, especially the South Sound.

Sunday will see the conditions change as another series of systems approaches the Pacific NW. Both rain and wind will slowly increase over the day with the rest of the week looking very similar.

January 19 Doppler
January 19 Satellite Picture

The other charts of interest today are the 500Mb, upper-level charts. The chart for today shows a zonal flow across the Pacific before it takes a bend to the north just off the coast of California with the jet stream coming ashore just north of San Francisco. By Sunday this flow becomes even more zonal as the jet stream will now come ashore near the California-Mexico Border. This will allow cooler temps into the Pacific Northwest but nothing like the deep freeze we just had.

Enjoy the weekend!  

Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for Jan 12, 13, 14, and 15 Jan. Cold now, and staying cold over the weekend. More rain on Tuesday.

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs 1 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for Jan 12, 13, 14, and 15 Jan. Cold now, and staying cold over the weekend. More rain on Tuesday.

What an interesting week for weather in the Pacific NW, a little bit of everything. At least it won’t be as cold as some parts of the Midwest, and we won’t have as much snow as the NE. The good news is that we are now ahead of rainfall for the month and snow is coming to the Cascades and Olympics. True, we are only 03” ahead for the month, but every little bit will help.

January 12 500MB
January 12 Surface Analysis
January 13 Surface Forecast
January 14 500 MB
January 14 Surface Forecast
January 15 Surface Forecast
January 16 500 MB
January 16 Surface Forecast

Today’s charts and sat pics also provide us with a great view of what is going on and the reasons why. Let’s start with the surface analysis chart which shows a strong ridge of high pressure (1041-1047MB) running parallel and inland from the coast from southern BC to SE Alaska. There is also a weak high (1027MB) off of LA and a weak low-pressure system (1004MB) in the Pacific headed our way. You can plainly see quite a compressed pressure gradient right over the Pacific NW and southern BC. Since winds flow from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure, that’s the reason why we have this strong offshore(ENE) flow. Today’s Pac NW sat pic and the UW MM5 high-resolution chart show the flow out of the Fraser River Valley, through the northern San Juan Islands then out the Strait of JdF, building as it compresses and exits the Straits. You can also see the flow out of Stevens Pass, and then joining the flow out of the Straits. Then moving south, you can see the flow coming out of Snoqualmie Pass, down to Tacoma, out through the Chehalis Gap, and then exiting with the strongest wind just out of Grays Harbor. A great example of colder, denser air sinking and taking the path of least resistance down the pressure gradient. Notice you can also see this in the Sat Pic with a clearing where the wind is the strongest, the mouth of the Straits, and the entrance to Grays Harbor. A very nice correlation between different sources of weather information.

Jan 12 Sat Pic
Jan 12 MM5
Jan 12 PNW Sat Pic

This gradient won’t ease much over the next 24 hours however by Sunday, we should see the winds begin to decrease as the gradient eases. As I mentioned above there will be more wind in the areas generally to the west of the gaps in the Cascades, like the Straits from Port Angeles west to Neah Bay. Then as you move south, areas like Possession Sound and Pt. Robinson southwest to Carr Inlet could see 20+ knots of ENE breeze.

Overall, the message for the weekend is to respect the cold and check conditions before you leave the dock. Then when you return to the dock remember that even in saltwater like Everett, Shilshole Bay, Elliott Bay, Commencement Bay, and Olympia freshwater flows into all those areas and being less dense than saltwater, stays on top and can then freeze in the conditions we have now. So leave the locker doors, engine compartment covers, and floorboards that allow access to thru-hulls open so warmer air can circulate in those areas. Milder conditions with rain will return on Tuesday.

Bundle up and enjoy the weekend!

2023 STAPYs (Sailish.com Totally Arbitrary Performance of the Year Awards)

Kurt Hoehne Community, Cruising, PNW sailors around the world, Racing, STAPYs 0 Comment

It must be said that the sailing and racing seems to have come up a notch in the Pacific Northwest in 2023. There’s a little more participation and a little more anticipation in the air before races. There are plenty of season champions and boats of the year out there, and I’d love to cover them all. Or at least a bunch. But time being in short supply, here are my STAPYs for 2023.

I’ve invited others to name their favorites, and now I’m inviting all the readers to chime in. Surely you can think of someone deserving of a Totally Arbitrary award. Remember, as a STAPY it doesn’t have to be a race winner or an expedition cruiser type. It could (and should) be someone who supports the sport or their fellow mariners, sets an example or provides inspiration.

Justin and Christina Wolff

The Wolffs have put an amazing program for the Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300 Red Ruby they own with Jonathan McKee. Perhaps their most jaw-dropping achievement was finishing second OVERALL in the 600+ mile Rolex Middle Sea Race. The first place boat? The 93’ fully crewed Wally Bullitt. The time difference? 24, count ’em 24, seconds. Here’s a little video of the couple after the finish:

In what seems to be an irreversible trend, doublehanded racing is gaining momentum. McKee and Peter Isler won the ORC doublehanded championships in Barcelona, Spain. Maybe Red Ruby will help as a springboard to the already growing doublehanded racing community in the PNW.

Adam, Daniela, Gunner (8) and Teddy (4) Lawrence

Easy Day under spinnaker for the first time.

You probably haven’t heard of Adam Lawrence. I certainly hadn’t when he inquired about my Swiftsure Yachts listing, the Swan 46 Freya. The cruising world was new to him. But true to his US Navy background, he approached it methodically and thoroughly. Adam recognized Freya’s solid construction and appreciated the pilothouse that Swan Fans wrinkled their noses at. That unique feature, Adam knew, would be a great place for his boys.

From overhauling the plumbing to renaming the Swan Easy Day, Adam and his team set an example I will point cruiser wannabes to for years to come.

Here’s the first of what I hope will be many videos.

Dan Falk 

Dan Falk

Dan won the RS Aero Worlds (9 rig) in Sardinia this year. It’s the second year in a row he’s done it. (Last year was on the Columbia River Gorge) He did it while sick and dehydrated, overcoming those issues plus a collision that knocked him out of a race.

That’s only one reason for the STAPY. He remains the mainstay of the Seattle RS Aero fleet, which is premier RS Aero fleet in North America. It also must make the rest of the world sit up (again) and wonder just what it is about the salmon we eat that makes the pointy end of the Seattle dinghy fleets so tough. During CYC’s PSSC Awards dinner, he bent over backward to applaud his training partner Keith Hammer for a well-earned victory. Dan is the kind of sailor that drives this sport. He sails hard, gives back and looks out for his fellow competitors.

Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 Jan. Duwamish Head Race, breeze in the Straits, not so much in the Center Sound, just wet and a bit chilly.

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs, Racing 0 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 Jan. Duwamish Head Race, breeze in the Straits, not so much in the Center Sound, just wet and a bit chilly.

As we projected, December was wetter than normal but not enough to bring the yearly average up to normal. We finished December with 8.48” inches of rain in the gauge compared to an average of 5.72”. For the year we finished with 34.97” compared to an average of 39.34”. While it’s still early in the month we are now about .35” behind for the month, and that could all change this coming week.

Right now, 1500hrs, we are still in a pre-frontal situation with the barometer falling rapidly in all locations in the Salish Sea and windspeeds continuing to increase into the 20s and low 30-knot range. You can see this on today’s sat pic and surface analysis chart. The low associated with this front is centered to the west of Ketchikan, while we have a lobe of a moderately strong high-pressure system (1033MB) just to the south of us associated with a 1036MB high about ½ way between Hawaii and San Francisco. As the front passes over us, this configuration will give us a strong NW surface flow over the area which will last through the weekend until another front arrives late on Sunday bringing more rain and wind to the area.

January 5 500MB
January 5 Surface Analysis
January 6 Surface Forecast
January 7 500MB
January 7 Surface Forecast
January 8 Surface Forecast
January 9 500MB
January 9 Surface Forecast

The problem with this NW flow over the area will be that the wind will come down the Straits with gale warnings and small craft advisories. It will also flow weakly through the Chehalis Gap and into the South Sound with this area being in the lee of the Olympics. Somewhere these winds will have to meet in a classic Putrid Sound Convergence zone.

For the Duwamish Head Race, it appears that we’ll have a nice SW wind of 6-11 knots for the start and this will hold with the SW building to 12-13 knots near midday as the fleet approaches Alki. After that, the SW will ease to 4-6 knots by mid-afternoon, and by about 1600hrs the SW will be down to 2-5 knots over the race course. At around 1600 hrs a weak northerly may fill down as far as Fauntleroy, but it won’t go much further. The SW will tend to last longer and stay stronger to the west of the rhumbline from Restoration Pt to Three Tree Pt. By 1800 hrs the SW will start to slowly rebuild to 5-8 knots until 20-2100 hrs when another blast of NW (10-12 knts) will fill down the Sound to maybe as far as Tacoma.

This will be a case where tacticians will want to be logging wind strengths and directions starting tonight so you can track what will be headed your way and maybe when the changes will arrive. You will also want to keep your head out of the boat to watch what is going on ahead and behind you. For the beat/close reach from Restoration to the finish, you will want to have those barber haulers ready and be aggressive about using them as it gets reachy. It will also help to keep you warm. 😊

Have a great race, stay warm, and stay safe.

Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 29, 30, 31 Dec, and Happy New Year! A little rainy Saturday, dry Sunday and Monday! Perfect for football.

Bruce Hedrick Bruce's Briefs 0 Comment
Bruce’s Briefs: Wx for 29, 30, 31 Dec, and Happy New Year! A little rainy Saturday, dry Sunday and Monday! Perfect for football.

Today’s sat pic shows it all with a dramatic cold front getting ready to come ashore on Saturday backed up by a large area of cool, unstable air. The surface analysis chart shows the extent of this cold front going from roughly the north end of Vancouver Island all the way to Hawaii with a secondary cold front right behind it. The big waves pounding California will continue.

December 29 500MB
December 29 Syurface Analysis
December 30 Surface Forecast
December 31 500MB
December 31 Surface Forecast
January 1 Surface Forecast
January 2 500 MB
January 2 Surface Forecast

If you string today’s charts together you will see the bad news as moisture continues to avoid the Pacific NW and with the upper airflow(500MB) coming in from the SW the freezing level will stay well above 4,000ft. This means there will be no snowpack building in the mountains of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. For you skiers, it could be a great winter to take up sailing!

For wind, we can expect the strongest breeze to be in the Eastern part of the Strait of JdF on Saturday with 15-25 knots of south-southeasterly. Sunday and Monday the breeze will be light over the Salish Sea.

The other chart of interest will be the 48-hour surface forecast chart with a Roser Low Index of 12 systems visible on the chart. Unfortunately, as we mentioned above, a weak ridge of high pressure along the West Coast will keep most of the rainmakers from coming ashore, and those that do make it will be substantially weakened. We can expect the next system to come into the Pacific NW on Tuesday with not much rain.

Have a safe and Happy New Year!