Get ready for rough weather on the North Olympic Peninsula, waters around it [Updated]
Published 12:01 am Sunday, December 16, 2012
A series of warnings and advisories have been issued by the National Weather Service to prepare North Olympic Peninsula residents for a storm approaching later today and continuing overnight into Monday.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Ridge Road — and the visitor center atop the mile-high snow play area — was open this morning, but Olympic National Park required all vehicles to be below Heart o’ the Hills at 2 p.m. See: http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/hurricane-ridge-current-conditions.htm
Follows are statements and advisories from the National Weather Service in its usual all-capital letters, dot, dot, dot format:
High Wind Watch
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
435 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012
WAZ514-515-162045-
/O.EXT.KSEW.HW.A.0009.121217T1100Z-121217T2000Z/
EASTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-WESTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-
435 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012
…HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THE STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA FROM
LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING…
* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS…PORT ANGELES AND SEKIU.
* TIMING…STRONG WEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE WAKE
OF A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM EARLY MONDAY MORNING.
* WIND…INCREASING FROM THE WEST AT POSSIBLY 25 TO 40 MPH WITH
GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH MONDAY MORNING.
* IMPACTS…HIGH WINDS CAN TOPPLE TREES…DOWN POWER LINES OR
POLES…AND DAMAGE PROPERTY. THE HIGH WINDS COULD LEAD TO POWER
OUTAGES…THUS RESIDENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS DAMAGING WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH AND/OR
GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR HIGHER ARE IMMINENT OR OCCURRING.
Coastal Flood Watch
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
321 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012
…TIDAL OVERFLOW AND COASTAL FLOODING ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY…
.A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH WESTERN
WASHINGTON EARLY MONDAY MORNING. HIGH TIDES AND BIG WAVES MAY
PRODUCE TIDAL OVERFLOW AND FLOODING NEAR THE BEACHES…
WAZ001-503-506>511-514-515-162300-
/O.CON.KSEW.CF.A.0006.121217T1400Z-121217T1800Z/
SAN JUAN COUNTY-WESTERN WHATCOM COUNTY-WESTERN SKAGIT COUNTY-
EVERETT AND VICINITY-SEATTLE/BREMERTON AREA-TACOMA AREA-
ADMIRALTY INLET AREA-HOOD CANAL AREA-
EASTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-WESTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-
321 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012
…COASTAL FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT MONDAY MORNING…
* HAZARD…WAVES AND TIDAL ANOMALY AT HIGH TIDE.
* IMPACTS…TIDAL OVERFLOW AND FLOODING NEAR THE BEACHES.
* TIME OF HIGH TIDE…8 OR 9 AM.
* TIDE TABLE PREDICTION…12.9 FT SEATTLE…9.7 FT PORT
TOWNSEND…10.5 FT CHERRY POINT.
* EXPECTED TIDAL ANOMALY…1 TO 2 FEET.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH MEANS FLOODING OR BEACH EROSION WILL OCCUR
IF WEATHER CONDITIONS DEVELOP AS PREDICTED. RESIDENTS AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY AND BE PREPARED TO
TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Storm watch
URGENT – MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
918 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012
PZZ131-132-170515-
/O.EXT.KSEW.SR.W.0005.121216T1718Z-121217T2300Z/
CENTRAL U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-
EAST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-
918 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012
…STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM PST MONDAY…
* WIND AND WAVES…EAST TO SOUTHEAST GALES WILL DEVELOP THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING THEN SHIFT TO STRONG WEST WINDS
OVERNIGHT. WAVES WILL BUILD TO AROUND 10 FT MONDAY MORNING.
PZZ150-153-156-170-173-176-170515-
/O.EXT.KSEW.SR.W.0005.121216T1718Z-121217T2000Z/
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE FLATTERY TO JAMES ISLAND OUT 10 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM JAMES ISLAND TO POINT GRENVILLE OUT 10 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM POINT GRENVILLE TO CAPE SHOALWATER OUT 10 NM-
WATERS FROM CAPE FLATTERY TO JAMES ISLAND 10 TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM JAMES ISLAND TO POINT GRENVILLE 10 TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM POINT GRENVILLE TO CAPE SHOALWATER 10 TO 60 NM-
918 AM PST SUN DEC 16 2012
…STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PST MONDAY…
* WIND AND SEAS…SOUTHEASTERLY GALES WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON
AS A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM AND DEEP LOW PRESSURE CENTER APPROACH
THE AREA. THE WIND WILL SHIFT TO SOUTHWEST THIS EVENING BEHIND
THE FRONT…AND THEN SHIFT AGAIN AND INCREASE OVERNIGHT AS THE
LOW MOVES ASHORE AND A STRONG TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.
SEAS WILL BUILD TO AROUND 25 FEET MONDAY. SEE THE FORECASTS FOR
DETAILS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A STORM WARNING MEANS WINDS OF 48 TO 63 KNOTS ARE IMMINENT OR
OCCURRING. RECREATIONAL BOATERS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT…OR TAKE
SHELTER UNTIL WIND AND SEAS SUBSIDE. COMMERCIAL VESSELS SHOULD
PREPARE FOR VERY STRONG WINDS AND DANGEROUS SEA CONDITIONS…AND
CONSIDER REMAINING IN PORT OR TAKING SHELTER IN PORT UNTIL WIND
AND SEAS SUBSIDE.
