UPDATE: High winds forecast Friday across North Olympic Peninsula, marine waters; Hood Canal Bridge might close

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The National Weather Service, which has issued a high-wind warning for the North Olympic Peninsula, especially along the coastal areas of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Pacific Ocean and Hood Canal, has just issued a storm briefing detailing what we can expect between now and Saturday.

Download it here: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew/stormbriefing_1April-2010_Wind_MtnSnow-Web.pdf (You must have Adobe Acrobat installed.)

A winter storm watch for snow down to 1,500 feet in the Olympics — plus heavy wind gusts — also has been issued.

Port Angeles native Scott Sistek, who is on the staff of our news partner, KOMO-TV, and holds a University of Washington degree relating to meteorology, has an excellent narrative on what to expect. After reviewing the official bulletins below, click to read Scott’s weather observations here: http://www.komonews.com/news/local/89707192.html

The official National Weather Service bulletins follow:

Along the coast:

ADMIRALTY INLET AREA-EASTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-WESTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-

A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO 9 PM PDT

FRIDAY.

* A STRONG WESTERLY SURGE OF WIND WILL OCCUR BEHIND THE FRONT

LATER FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE WIND DIRECTION WILL

SHIFT FROM SOUTHEASTERLY TO WESTERLY BRINGING THE STRONGEST

WINDS TO THE STRAIT…AND AREAS NEAR WHIDBEY ISLAND. EXPECT

THE POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS OF 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH

TO SUBSIDE LATE FRIDAY EVENING.

* THE VERY STRONG WINDS COULD RESULT IN SOME POWER OUTAGES

ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON FRIDAY DUE TO POWER

LINES BEING DAMAGED BY TREE LIMBS. SOME OF THE REGIONS TREES

HAVE BEGUN TO LEAF OUT ALREADY…WHICH COULD ADD TO THE

POTENTIAL FOR WIND DAMAGE TO OCCUR. RAIN SOAKED GROUND COULD

ALLOW TREES TO EASILY TOPPLE OR BECOME UPROOTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED

OR OCCURRING. SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS

OF 58 MPH OR MORE CAN LEAD TO PROPERTY DAMAGE.

In the mountains:

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH

FRIDAY EVENING.

* ANOTHER STRONG PACIFIC STORM IS EXPECTED TO DROP 1 TO 2 FEET

OF SNOW ON THE OLYMPICS ABOVE THE 1500 FOOT LEVEL BY LATE IN

THE DAY FRIDAY.

* PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW WILL BE ACCOMPANIED AT TIMES BY STRONG

SOUTHWEST WINDS. EXPOSED RIDGES WILL OCCASIONALLY HAVE GUSTS

TO NEAR 60 MPH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY.

* THE SNOW IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE IN INTENSITY AFTER MIDNIGHT

TONIGHT…WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW OCCURRING FRIDAY MORNING.

EXPECT THE STEADY SNOW TO TAPER OFF TO SHOWERS LATE FRIDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

THOSE PLANNING TRAVEL IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR

HAZARDOUS…WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS.

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