WeatherWatcher: Wind Advisory in effect Wednesday

From the archives, windstorm damage in the Hillwood Neighborhood March 16, 2016.
Photo by Carl Dinse

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a wind advisory. The wind advisory is in effect Wednesday at 3 PM PDT until Thursday at 6 AM PDT. 

From the National Weather Service:

...Wind advisory in effect from 3 PM Wednesday to 6 AM PDT Thursday..

• What: Southwest winds 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected. Winds in areas from Everett north will switch to northwesterlies at 25 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph between 8PM and 11PM Wednesday.
• Where: Portions of northwest and west central Washington.
• When: From 3 PM Wednesday to 6 AM PDT Thursday.
• Impacts: Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. 
• Additional Details: A shift from strong southwesterly winds to northwesterly winds will occur in areas from Everett north through western Skagit, Whatcom, Snohomish, Island and San Juan Counties between 8PM and 11PM Wednesday lasting through early Thursday morning. 
  

Precautionary / Preparedness actions:

Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicles. Secure outdoor objects. 

For Shoreline and Lake Forest Park: Latest model runs agree that we will see winds peak between 3 PM and midnight Wednesday evening. Most models have peak gusts at 45-50mph, with one of the high-resolution models forecasting that we could reach 60mph gusts.

Winds could be damaging Wednesday evening, and I wouldn't be surprised if this gets upgraded to a high wind warning at the last minute. Power outages and storm damage could be widespread.

Behind this windstorm into Thursday morning are hints of a strong convergence zone, which could bring heavy precipitation, including a mix of rain and snow. Still, marginal snow chances at best. Accumulations are not expected but there is a slim chance that we could see some accumulating snow. Beyond Thursday we continue to flirt with the snow and rain mix showers through the weekend. The good news is there are hints that next week could warm up into the low 60's.

For current weather conditions and the latest alerts from the National Weather Service, please visit www.shorelineweather.com