Northern parts of western Washington had high wind as a Pacific storm approached the coast.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS SEW wrote it up.
Northern parts of western Washington had high wind as a Pacific storm approached the coast.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Seattle, WA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 30, 8:30 PM PST, 3 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
830 PM PST TUE DEC 30 2008
.SYNOPSIS...A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL SWEEP ACROSS WESTERN
WASHINGTON AROUND MIDNIGHT. LOCALLY STRONG WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE
FRONT. HEAVY SNOW IS EXPECTED IN THE MOUNTAINS IN POST FRONTAL
ONSHORE FLOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A SECOND SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
AREA THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS SECOND SYSTEM PROMISES TO
GIVE HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS TO AREAS FROM SEATTLE SOUTHWARD THURSDAY
AND STRONG WINDS TO MUCH OF WESTERN WASHINGTON THURSDAY NIGHT. WEAK
SYSTEMS WILL BRUSH THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND WITH SHOWERS POSSIBLE
AND NEAR AVERAGE TEMPERATURES. ANOTHER FRONT WILL BRING MORE RAIN TO
THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM...INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY SUPERIMPOSED WITH
OBSERVATIONS AND 18Z MODELS SHOW THE FIRST LOW NOW NEAR 50.5N/131W
7-10 MB DEEPER THAN MODELED. THIS LOW APPEARS TO BE DESTINED FOR THE
QUEEN CHARLOTTE SOUND SHORTLY BEFORE TRACKING N TOWARD THE FAR S AK
PANHANDLE. A TRIPLE POINT FEATURE APPEARS TO BE LOCATED ABOUT 150 NM
W OF THE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER WITH A STRONG OCCLUSION N TO
NEAR THE NORTH TIP OF VANCOUVER ISLAND. THE FRONT IS FAST MOVING AND
SHOULD REACH THE COAST SHORTLY AFTER 06Z THEN MOVE THROUGH THE
INTERIOR LOWLANDS BY 09Z.
THE CURRENT HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE COAST LOOKS GOOD. THIS LOOKS
LIKE A MARGINAL EVENT WITH 40MPH G 60MPH IN SLY FLOW AS FOR A COUPLE
HOURS AHEAD OF UP UNTIL FRONTAL PASSAGE FOLLOWED BY VEERING WINDS TO
THE WEST 25-35 MPH BEHIND THE FRONT. THE NORTH INTERIOR WILL ALSO
SEE STRONGEST WINDS WITH THE SELY FLOW AHEAD OF AND WITH THE FRONT
THIS EVENING AT HIGH END ADVISORY LEVELS OF 25-35 MPH GUST 50-55
MPH. A STRONG WESTERLY SURGE THRU THE STRAIT BEHIND THE FRONT SHOULD
HAVE LIMITED AFFECT ON WHIDBEY ISLAND AS STRONG PRESSURE FALLS
REMAIN WELL TO THE NORTH OF THE AREA. WIND ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE
ALSO LOOKING LIKE A GOOD BET OVER PORTIONS OF THE LOWLANDS FROM
EVERETT SOUTHWARD AS STRONG FLOW ALOFT INTERACTS WITH THE TERRAIN.
I PLAN NO CHANGES TO THE GOOD LOOKING SHORT TERM FORECAST AT THIS
TIME.
THE WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE MOUNTAINS FOR 1-2 FT OF SNOW
TONIGHT THROUGH WED LOOKS GOOD AS WELL. EXPECT THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL
RATES TO BE WITH AND BEHIND THE FRONT AND THROUGH EARLY WED
AFTERNOON AS A WESTERLY FLOW OF COOL AND UNSTABLE AIR WITH WINDS OF
35 KT AT 925 MB AND 45 KT AT 850 MB SLAMS THE MOUNTAINS. SNOW LEVELS
WILL FALL FROM ABOUT 2000 FT THIS EVENING AHEAD OF THE FRONT TO NEAR
OR BELOW 1000 FT LATE TONIGHT THRU WED.
ONSHORE FLOW GRADUALLY WINDS DOWN LATE WED AND WED NIGHT. THERE MAY
BE A WINDOW AROUND MIDNIGHT ON NEW YEARS EVE WHERE PRECIPITATION IS
AT A LULL...THOUGH IT WILL REMAIN CLOUDY WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE
MID AND UPPER 30S.
MODELS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS COMING TO AN AGREEMENT AS TO HOW THE
SECOND SYSTEM FOR THU/THU NIGHT EVOLVES. SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THE
SECOND SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM NOW IN TWO PIECES WITH ONE CHUNK NOW
UNDERCUTTING THE BLOCK AND CENTERED NEAR 42N/162W WITH MORE MOISTURE
AND ENERGY TO ITS SOUTHWEST. AT THE SAME TIME VERY COLD AIR
CONTINUES TO POUR S FROM THE ARCTIC AND ALASKA DOWN INTO THE CENTRAL
AND WESTERN GULF OF ALASKA. 18Z GUIDANCE FROM THE GFS AND NAM...AS
WELL AS 12Z GUIDANCE FROM THE ECMWF...BRINGS A STRONG AND DEVELOPING
WARM FRONT INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON DURING THE DAY THU WITH LOW PRES
RIPPLING E ALONG THIS FRONT. THEN AS THINGS BEGIN PHASING
TOGETHER...A 1002 MB LOW IN THE OFFSHORE WATERS BOMBS AS IT MOVES
THRU THE AREA SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HOQUIAM AND CENTRAL VANCOUVER ISLAND
OVERNIGHT THU NIGHT. THIS INITIALLY DISORGANIZED STRUCTURE WAS
HINTED AT BY YESTERDAYS NAM SOLUTIONS AND HAS NOW BECOME A NEW
SORTA-CONSENSUS. TRACK IS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THE NAM AND ECMWF
FAVORING A MORE SOUTHWARD TRACK INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON ALONG A
DEVELOPING 175 KT 300 MB JET. THE MORE DEVELOPED GFS IS FARTHER
NORTH WITH THE TRACK BUT HAS TRENDED SOUTHWARD.
THE NEW GENERAL SOLUTIONS MAKE MULTIPLE THREATS POSSIBLE. THE FIRST
IS QUITE HEAVY RAINFALL ESPECIALLY FROM THE N CENTRAL
CASCADES-KSEA-KHQM SOUTHWARD WHERE 18 HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS BETWEEN 2
AND 4 INCHES COULD BE BRIEFLY ACCOMPANIED BY A RISE IN FREEZING
LEVELS TO OVER 7000 FT THU AND THU NIGHT. A LARGE AREA OF LOW
ELEVATION SNOWPACK IS LIKELY STILL ON THE GROUND IN THE SOUTH
INTERIOR. SO FLOODING OF SOME RIVERS ESPECIALLY THE SKOKOMISH AND
CHEHALIS COULD OCCUR. AS A RESULT WILL ISSUE A FLOOD POTENTIAL
OUTLOOK FOR WESTERN WASHINGTON...HIGHLIGHTING THE SOUTH PORTION OF
THE FORECAST AREA FOR THE LATE THU THRU EARLY FRI PERIOD. PORTIONS
OF THIS AREA MAY NEED TO GO TO A FLOOD WATCH IF THAT THREAT
CONTINUES. THEN THERE IS STILL THE ISSUE OF WIND AND THAT WILL
DEPEND ON THE EXACT TRACK OF THE SYSTEM. A TRACK INTO KHQM WOULD
MAKE POST FRONTAL HIGH WIND THE BIGGEST THREAT THRU THE CHEHALIS GAP
AND THE STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA UP TO THE CASCADES. --NOTE THAT ON A
MORE SOUTHERN TRACK WE WOULD ALSO NEED TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE
POSSIBILITY OF A VERY HEAVY DUMP OF LOWLAND SNOW NORTH OF THE TRACK
OF THE CENTER AS STRONG EASTERLY FLOW IN THE LOW LEVELS GETS OVERRUN
BY TONS OF MOISTURE IN A DEEPENING STORM WITH WET BULB COOLING IN
THE LOWER LEVELS AS HAPPENED ON NOVEMBER 19 1996 AND AS HINTED AT BY
MODEL OUTPUT STATISTICAL SNOW AMOUNT GUIDANCE OFF THE 12Z AND 18Z
GFS. A MORE NORTH TRACK TO CAPE FLATTERY OR SOUTHERN VANCOUVER
ISLAND WOULD MAKE A S/SW HIGH WIND THREAT LARGE TO MOST AREAS OF
WESTERN WASHINGTON FOLLOWED BY A STORM FORCE WESTERLY SURGE THRU THE
STRAIT. AFTER WE ARE DONE WITH THIS FIRST FRONT TONIGHT...LATER
SHIFTS WILL NEED TO ENTERTAIN A HIGH WIND WATCH BUT WITH WORDING
THAT SPELLS OUT THE HIGH DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS THU-THU
NIGHT STORM.
ALBRECHT
.LONG TERM...LONG TERM DISCUSSION FROM THE AFTERNOON
ISSUANCE...SPLIT FLOW DEVELOPS FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH MOST OF THE
WEEKEND. HOWEVER...THE NORTHERN BRANCH OF THE FLOW STILL BRUSHES THE
AREA WITH SOME THREAT OF RAIN OR SHOWERS. LONG RANGE MODELS BRING
THE NEXT WELL ORGANIZED FRONTAL SYSTEM INTO THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT
AND MONDAY WITH A BETTER SHOT OF WIDESPREAD RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW.
THE UPPER FLOW REMAINS NWLY EARLY NEXT WEEK WHICH BODES WELL FOR
SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS AND SHOWERS ACROSS THE LOWLANDS.
MERCER
&&
.AVIATION...SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT THIS EVENING WITH UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH AND STRONG FRONT APPROACHING WESTERN WASHINGTON. STRONG WEST
TO NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT WILL ACCOMPANY THE TROUGH AS IT MOVES ASHORE
WEDNESDAY MORNING. LOW LEVEL OFFSHORE FLOW WILL RAPIDLY SWITCH TO
STRONG ONSHORE AS THE SURFACE FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE REGION 07Z-11Z.
CEILINGS WILL LOWER TO MVFR AND LOCALIZED IFR OVERNIGHT WITH LIGHT
TO MODERATE PRECIP. PRECIP WILL TURN SHOWERY BY EARLY WEDNESDAY
MORNING...BUT MVFR CEILINGS WILL CONTINUE INTO EARLY AFTERNOON AS
INSTABILITY SHOWERS PUSH ONSHORE WITH THE COLD POOL ALOFT. STRONG
GUSTY SURFACE WINDS NEAR FRONTAL PASSAGE EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING
WILL GRADUALLY EASE AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE MOVES OVER THE AREA
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
KSEA...PRECIP SPREADING INTO THE AREA WITH CEILINGS LOWERING TO
SOLID MVFR. E-SE SURFACE WINDS OF 7 TO 12 KNOTS WILL BECOME S-SW AND
RAPIDLY INCREASE WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE NEAR 09Z. LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO 40-50 KT AT 2000 FT AND AROUND 65 KNOTS AT 5000 FT FOR 2
OR 3 HOURS EITHER SIDE OF FRONTAL PASSAGE.
&&
.MARINE...STRONG SURFACE LOW ABOUT TO MOVE ONSHORE NEAR THE SOUTHERN
TIP OF THE QUEEN CHARLOTTES SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF 975 MB.
FULL GALE SOUTHEASTERLIES ACROSS THE COASTAL WATERS...STRAIT
ENTRANCES...AND NORTHERN INLAND WATERS SHOULD PEAK NEAR FRONTAL
PASSAGE. FROPA FOR INTERIOR WATERS WILL BE BETWEEN 09-11Z...AND
07-09Z FOR THE COAST. A STRONG WESTERLIES SURGE WILL FOLLOW
WEDNESDAY MORNING...AND BE SLOW TO FALL OFF FOR THE EASTERN STRAIT
ON WEDNESDAY. BRIEF STORM FORCE WINDS NEAR THE FRONT FOR THE WEST
ENTRANCE AND NORTH COAST STILL A POSSIBILITY AND WILL NEED TO BE
WATCHED. COMBINED SEAS COME UP TOMORROW...BUT SHOULD STAY BELOW 20
FEET. ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE WATERS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THE
PRECISE TRACK AND DEPTH OF THIS SYSTEM IS UNCERTAIN BUT IT HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE EVEN STRONGER WINDS. 27
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...WINTER STORM WARNING NORTH AND CENTRAL CASCADES...AND THE
OLYMPICS THROUGH 4 PM WEDNESDAY.
WIND ADVISORY FOR ALL INTERIOR LOWLANDS FROM THROUGH 7 AM
WEDNESDAY.
HIGH WIND WARNING COAST THROUGH 5 AM WEDNESDAY.
PZ...GALE WARNING ALL WATERS.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY GRAYS HARBOR BAR FOR ROUGH TO SEVERE BAR
CONDITIONS.4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Tatoosh Island reported sustained wind of 61 knots, which generally corresponds to 70 mph gusts on the mainland. A tree blown into a transmission line cut power to most of Neah Bay.
A spotter near Sekiu reported high wind of 39 mph with gusts to 58 mph.
A spotter near Port Townsend reported 43 mph sustained wind. A transmission line south of Discovery Bay sustained damage and knock out power to about 15000 customers.
NW Weather and Avalanche Center weather equipment registered a 76 mph gust on Hurricane Ridge.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, December 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 141915, 141914, 141911, 141912.