HIGH WINDS FORECAST ON PENINSULA TONIGHT

Published 12:01 am Tuesday, December 30, 2008

High-wind warnings and advisories have been issued by the National Weather Service for the North Olympic Peninsula.

A warning was issued for the West End:

HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL PACIFIC COAST FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 AM PST WEDNESDAY.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND

WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 5 AM PST

WEDNESDAY. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

STRONG SOUTH WINDS OF 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH ARE POSSIBLE

TUESDAY EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS:

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS THAT A HAZARDOUS WIND EVENT IS IMMINENT OR OCCURRING. HIGH WINDS CAN TOPPLE TREES, DOWN POWER LINES AND DESTROY PROPERTY.

For the area roughly from Port Angeles to Port Townsend and down the Hood Canal, the following wind advisory was issued:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WIND

ADVISORY, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM PST

WEDNESDAY.

A STRONG PACIFIC FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL MOVE ONTO THE WASHINGTON

COAST AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND INLAND BY EARLY WEDNESDAY

MORNING. THE STRONGEST WINDS ACROSS MOST INLAND AREAS WILL OCCUR AHEAD OF THE FRONT, WITH SOUTHERLY 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH POSSIBLE. EXPECT THE STRONGEST WINDS OVER THE EAST STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA TO OCCUR WITH THE FRONT AFTER MIDNIGHT, WHERE SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS..

A WIND ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 30 TO 39 MPH OR

GUSTS OF 45 TO 57 MPH ARE LIKELY. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN SNAP

SMALL TREE BRANCHES, TOPPLE SMALL OR SHALLOW-ROOTED TREES AND

CAUSE LOCAL POWER OUTAGES.