While in the rest of the US, almost 200 million people are under a heat advisory, flood warning, or watch, the Pacific NW is having a very average summer and we are so lucky. As of today, heat is now the number one weather-related cause of death in the US. The area bordering the Salish Sea may be an expensive place to live, however, I think it’s worth it.
The overall weather setup hasn’t changed much since last week with the Pacific High still a little on the weak side with a lobe extending from its center at 42N 158W towards the NE. We now have a trough of low pressure that runs from Alaska to the Mexican Border with a thermal low centered over the Central Valley of California. In the upper atmosphere, we still have a weak, upper-level low just off the north end of Vancouver Island. Since the jet stream is still up in Alaska, there is nothing to push this around and no way for storm systems to make it into the Pacific NW.
For boaters, the forecast is just about perfect as long as you aren’t going to be in the Strait of JdF in the afternoons and early evenings where you will find small craft advisories and maybe gale warnings. If you’re cruising in the San Juan Islands some of the breeze from the Straits will spill into that area, however, it won’t be strong except along the south side of San Juan and Lopez Islands.
In the Sound, breezes will be light and sunshine abundant. Use the sunblock!
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)