By Gordon McCraw, GAM Weather
We appear to be in the calm before the storm. A look at the satellite picture shows a stronger cold front off to the west advancing towards the coast. This approaching front will cause the clouds and winds to increase today with maybe some light to moderate rain starting this afternoon. The winds becoming southerly 15-20 gusting to 30-35, 40-45 at the beaches and headlands.
The associated moderate to heavy rain will start around sunset today, continuing until the front finally pushes through around midnight tonight. The winds will also increase tonight, becoming southwesterly 15-25 gusting to 45 in town, with gusts to 50-60 possible at the beaches. It appears we could see between 1 and 2″ of rain for this 24 hour period with the Coast Range getting the higher amounts as usual. The rivers continue to not be a flooding concern.
The front should push through late tonight, approaching midnight, but leaving scattered showers with possible thunderstorms through the early morning hours. Winds will also decrease but still be on the breezy side, westerly 15-20 gusting to 30. Highs today near 55, lows tonight near 42.
The showers persist through tomorrow, January 4th, though they will be decreasing, except over the Coast Range. Tomorrow night the rain returns with the next front around midnight and persist though the day on Sunday. This will also bring back the breezy conditions with winds becoming southerly 14-18 gusting to 30. The temperature also cool a bit with highs now only up to around 48, lows down near 41.
Rainy and breezy during the day Sunday, January 5th, winds southwesterly 14-18 gusting to 25, back over to scattered showers Sunday night, and the snow level drops down to around 2500”, so, accumulating snow possible in the higher Coast Range Mountains Sunday. The shower activity becomes more widely scattered early Monday morning but another front pushes in more rain later Monday morning followed by another front on Tuesday then scattered showers expected for Wednesday, highs near 50, lows near 40. The active winter pattern continues!
Gordon
GAM Weather
Your Pacific Northwest Weather Authority