Strong wind near the cascade foothills knocked down trees across roads and into power lines. A teenager was injured when a tree limb fell across her legs.
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.
Strong wind near the cascade foothills knocked down trees across roads and into power lines. A teenager was injured when a tree limb fell across her legs.
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 Oct 13, 2:55 AM PST, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
355 AM PDT TUE OCT 13 2009
.SYNOPSIS...A SERIES OF PACIFIC STORMS WILL AFFECT THE REGION THE
REST OF THIS WEEK. THE FIRST STORM WILL BRING WINDY CONDITIONS TO
PARTS OF THE AREA TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...ALONG WITH AN INCREASING
THREAT OF PRECIPITATION TO THE ENTIRE AREA. ANOTHER WETTER SYSTEM
WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON ON THURSDAY FOLLOWED BY YET
ANOTHER SYSTEM ON FRIDAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM...BIG CHANGES IN THE OFFING FRO THE WEATHER AROUND
WESTERN WASHINGTON WITH THE COOL DRY PATTERN BREAKING DOWN AND AN
ACTIVE WET PATTERN SETTING UP. THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF WEATHER
SYSTEMS TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA STILL WELL SOUTH OF WESTERN
WASHINGTON THIS MORNING. THE SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM
CURRENTLY BACK NEAR 43N/138W. EASTERLY CROSS CASCADE GRADIENTS
PICKING UP AS THE LOW TRACKS NORTH. AT 10Z KSEA-KEAT WAS NEAR -8 MB
AND KSEA-KYKM NEAR -7 MB. THE FEW OBSERVATION SITES AVAILABLE IN THE
FOOTHILLS GENERALLY REPORTING EASTERLY WINDS 15-20 MPH NEAR THE GAPS
IN THE TERRAIN. THESE WINDS WILL PICK UP A LITTLE BIT THIS MORNING
AS THE LOW CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTH. WILL KEEP THE WIND ADVISORY FOR
THE FOOTHILLS GOING TODAY. THIS WIND EVENT IN THE FOOTHILLS IS NOT A
MOUNTAIN WAVE EVENT...THE FLOW ALOFT IS CONSOLIDATED...BUT A GAP
FLOW EVENT THEREFORE THERE WILL BE A LOT OF VARIATION IN THE WIND
SPEEDS IN THE FOOTHILLS. LOCATIONS WITHOUT EXPOSURE TO GAPS IN THE
TERRAIN WILL NOT BE VERY WINDY WHILE LOCATIONS EXPOSED TO THE GAPS
WILL SEE WINDS IN THE 20-30 MPH RANGE. ANOTHER LOCATION WITH THE
POTENTIAL FOR GOOD EAST WINDS TODAY IS THE WEST ENTRANCE TO THE
STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA. GRADIENT IN THE STRAIT IS ALREADY -4 MB AND
SHOULD BECOME A LITTLE MORE EASTERLY AS THE DAY WEARS ON. WILL KEEP
THE WIND ADVISORY GOING FOR THE WESTERN STRAIT AS WELL. ON THE
PRECIPITATION SIDE OF THE HOUSE WITH THE SURFACE LOW MOVING NORTH
AND THE STRONG...NEAR 150 KNOT...JET AIMED INTO CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
WITH THE FIRST SYSTEM TO MOVE INTO WESTERN WASHINGTON TODAY WILL BE
SPLITTING. THIS WILL DECREASE THE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS ACROSS THE
AREA. IN ADDITION WITH THE LOW LEVEL OFFSHORE FLOW THE LOWER LEVELS
OF THE AIR MASS ARE VERY DRY...THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY AT
SEATTLE-TACOMA AIRPORT AT 10Z WAS ONLY 30 PERCENT...THIS WILL BE
ANOTHER LIMITING FACTOR PRECIP WISE TODAY. THE SYSTEM WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON SO WILL GO WITH
HIGHER POPS OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA AND LOWER...JUST
CHANCE POPS...FOR THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE AREA TODAY. THE NEXT
SYSTEM IN THIS SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEM IS DUE TO ARRIVE INTO
WESTERN WASHINGTON WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS SYSTEM WILL BE A LITTLE
STRONGER THAN THE ONE THIS AFTERNOON AND WITH THE LOWER LEVELS OF
THE AIR MASS MOISTENED UP WILL HAVE A BETTER SHOT AND PRODUCING
HIGHER PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS. THIS SYSTEM...WHILE MORE CONSOLIDATED
THAN THE FIRST ONE...WILL STILL BE NEGATIVELY TILTED AND TRYING TO
SPLIT WHICH WILL KEEP PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS DOWN. AFTER A LITTLE
BREAK WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING THE THIRD SYSTEM
WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. THIS
SYSTEM WILL BE THE WETTEST OF THE FIRST THREE SYSTEMS TAPPING INTO A
JUICY...PW VALUES AS HIGH AS 2 INCHES...AIR MASS OVER THE EASTERN
PACIFIC. MODEL 850 MB WINDS SHOW A CORE OF 50-55 KNOT
SOUTHWESTERLIES AIMED RIGHT AT THE SOUTHWEST SLOPES OF THE
OLYMPICS. EXPECT SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION OVER THE SOUTHWEST SLOPES
OF THE OLYMPICS ON THURSDAY WITH THE FIRST RAPID RISE OF THE
SKOKOMISH RIVER OF THE SEASON. THE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM
WILL BE MUCH WEAKER THAN TODAYS LOW...NEAR 995 MB BUT WILL TRACK
CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE COAST TO GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF BREEZY CONDITIONS
TO THE COAST AND WESTERN STRAIT THURSDAY. FALL HAS ARRIVED IN
WESTERN WASHINGTON. FELTON
.LONG TERM...EXTENDED MODELS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THIS MORNING.
YET ANOTHER MOIST SYSTEM TAPPING INTO THE TROPICAL MOISTURE REACHING
WESTERN WASHINGTON FRIDAY OR EARLY SATURDAY. THE ECMWF IS ABOUT 12
HOURS SLOWER WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THIS SYSTEM VERSUS THE GFS BUT BOTH
MODELS ARE MORE PROGRESSIVE WITH THE UPPER PATTERN SO THE SYSTEM
DOES NOT LOOK LIKE IT WILL STALL OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON AS PREVIOUS
MODEL RUNS HAVE SHOWN. ONCE THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH A POSSIBLE
BREAK IN THE ACTION OVER THE WEEKEND AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS
OVER WESTERN WASHINGTON. WITH THE ACTIVE PATTERN TOO EARLY TO GO
COMPLETELY DRY FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. WILL KEEP THE LOW CHANCE
POPS IN THE FORECAST. ANOTHER NEGATIVELY TILTED SYSTEM CURRENTLY
TIMED TO REACH THE AREA ON MONDAY IN BOTH THE ECMWF AND THE GFS SO A
CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR MONDAY AS WELL. FELTON
&&
.AVIATION...A 975 MB LOW NEAR 43N/138W WILL DEEPEN TO 970 MB AS IT
MOVES THROUGH THE OFFSHORE WATERS TONIGHT THEN SHIFT NW INTO THE
GULF OF ALASKA WED. A SECONDARY LOW TO ITS SW WILL ROTATE TO THE NE
THROUGH THE OFFSHORE WATERS WED MORNING AND INTO VANCOUVER ISLAND
WED AFTERNOON. TWO STRONG NEGATIVE TILT WARM OCCLUSIONS ASSOCIATED
WITH THESE SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA...ONE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND A STRONGER ONE WED MORNING. IN THE MEANTIME...STRONG
COLD HIGH PRES SITS FROM EASTERN WA INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS STATES.
THE COMBINATION OF THE DEEP OFFSHORE SYSTEMS AND THE COLD HIGH TO
THE EAST WILL GIVE STRONG OFFSHORE PRES GRADIENTS THROUGH WED.
DESPITE INCREASING MID AND HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE WITH THE INCOMING
OCCLUDED FRONTS...LOW LEVEL DRYING WITH THE EASTERLY FLOW OFF THE
CASCADES WILL KEEP CEILINGS GENERALLY AT OR ABOVE 050. ANY RAIN THAT
REACHES THE GROUND WILL BE QUITE LIGHT UNTIL THE SECOND OCCLUSION
MOVES IN WED MORNING.
KSEA...CIGS WILL HOVER BETWEEN 050 AND 070. ANY -RA THAT FALLS WILL
BE QUITE LIGHT. SLIGHTLY HEAVIER RAINFALL WITH CIGS 035-045 WED
MORNING. SURFACE WIND WILL AVERAGE 11012KT WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO
25 KT. EASTERLY FLOW WILL INCREASE TO 35 KT THIS MORNING AT 1500 FT
AGL THEN TURN SLY ABOVE ABOUT 030. EASTERLY WINDS ABOVE THE SURFACE
WILL DECREASE THIS EVENING. ALBRECHT
&&
.MARINE...A 975 MB LOW NEAR 43N/138W WILL DEEPEN TO 970 MB AS IT
MOVES THROUGH THE OFFSHORE WATERS TONIGHT THEN SHIFT NW INTO THE
GULF OF ALASKA WED. A SECONDARY LOW TO ITS SW WILL ROTATE TO THE NE
THROUGH THE OFFSHORE WATERS WED MORNING AND INTO VANCOUVER ISLAND
WED AFTERNOON. TWO STRONG NEGATIVE TILT WARM OCCLUSIONS ASSOCIATED
WITH THESE SYSTEMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA...ONE LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND A STRONGER ONE WED MORNING. SELY GALES ARE EXPECTED IN
THE COASTAL WATERS AND THRU THE STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA THROUGH
TONIGHT. WAVE ENERGY ALONG THE COAST WILL FOR THE MOST PART BE
LOCALLY GENERATED AND WILL MOVE NW TOWARD THE COASTAL WATERS OFF
VANCOUVER ISLAND.
MODEL SOLUTIONS VARY WITH SECONDARY DEVELOPMENT THAT RIDES NE ALONG
THE COLD FRONT INTO THE OFFSHORE WATERS EARLY THU. THE ECMWF HAS
STRONGER DEVELOPMENT -TO AROUND 970 MB- IN THE OFFSHORE WATERS EARLY
THU WHILE THE U.S. MODELS ARE SOMEWHAT WEAKER AND FARTHER E. YET
ANOTHER LOW IN A FAMILY OF STORMS MOVES NE ALONG THE BAROCLINIC ZONE
FRI. WHILE THE GFS AND NAM SOLUTIONS ARE WEAKER WITH THE LOWS THU
AND FRI...BOTH COULD END UP GIVING GALES TO THE COASTAL WATERS AND
THE ENTRANCES TO THE STRAIT. SWELL DEVELOPING TO THE E OF THE
FRONTAL SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE FEATURES WILL IMPACT THE AREA
AT TIMES LATER WED INTO FRI.
HIGH PRES BUILDS INTO THE AREA FOR A RETURN TO CALMER CONDITIONS
SAT. ALBRECHT
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...WIND ADVISORY EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS...CASCADE FOOTHILLS
AND WESTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA TODAY.
PZ...GALE WARNING COASTAL WATERS AND STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA.
.SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY ADMIRALTY INLET...NORTHERN INLAND
WATERS AND PUGET SOUND AND HOOD CANAL.
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
FOR AN ILLUSTRATED VERSION OF THE FORECAST DISCUSSION...PLEASE SEE
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE/GAFD/LATESTWEBAFD.HTML.
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
FOR AN ILLUSTRATED VERSION OF THE FORECAST DISCUSSION...PLEASE SEE
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE/GAFD/LATESTWEBAFD.HTML.1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds gusting to 55 mph knocked down trees across roads and into power lines. A teenager in North Bend was injured when a tree limb fell across her legs.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, October 2009
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: 198933.