A deep low passed just NW of Tatoosh Island. High wind was recorded on the coast and in a few inland zones.
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.
A deep low passed just NW of Tatoosh Island. High wind was recorded on the coast and in a few inland zones. Strong wind was reported in other inland zones.
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 Apr 2, 2:45 AM PST, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
345 AM PDT FRI APR 2 2010
.SYNOPSIS...A STRONG LATE SEASON STORM SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER THE
EASTERN PACIFIC TONIGHT WILL MOVE INTO VANCOUVER ISLAND JUST OFF THE
NORTHWEST TIP OF THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS
SYSTEM WILL DRIVE A STRONG FRONT ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...COAST IN
THE MORNING...INTERIOR MIDDAY...CASCADES MID AFTERNOON AND WILL
PRODUCE VERY WINDY CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN WASHINGTON.
COOL AND UNSTABLE AIR WILL INVADE THE REGION BEHIND THIS SYSTEM
TONIGHT AND SATURDAY. ANOTHER...WEAKER SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE
WEST COAST LATER SUNDAY AND LINGER OVER THE REGION THROUGH MONDAY.
A SERIES OF WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL CONTINUE THE UNSETTLED WEATHER
PATTERN THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.
&&
.SHORT TERM...NOT MUCH IN THE WAY OF OBSERVATIONS TO GO BY BUT THE
SATELLITE IMAGERY SUGGESTS THAT THE MODELS ARE ON TRACK WITH THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE INCOMING STORM SYSTEM. NICE DARK SLOT ON THE
WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SUGGESTS FURTHER DEEPENING AS WELL AS THE COMMA
SHAPE DEVELOPING ON THE IR IMAGERY. SO WILL HOLD THE COURSE ON THE
CURRENT FORECAST AND BASICALLY HAVE JUST TWEAKED THINGS A BIT HERE
AND THERE. THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT ADJUSTMENT WAS TO CHANGE THE AREA
IN THE HIGH WIND WATCH TO A WIND ADVISORY AS I DON/T SEE WIDESPREAD
AREAS IN THESE ZONES MEETING THE HIGH WIND CRITERIA /SUSTAINED 40
MPH OR HIGHER...OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE/. HOWEVER IT WILL BE
CLOSE SO RATHER WINDY WITH LOCAL TREE/POWER LINE DAMAGE NONE THE
LESS.
THE SURFACE LOW SHOULD MOVE ONSHORE OVER SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND
AS A 980MB OR LOWER STORM CENTER EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE
ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE COAST AROUND 9
AM...THE PUGET SOUND AROUND NOON AND EAST OF THE CASCADE CREST BY
MID AFTERNOON. WINDY CONDITIONS ALREADY EXIST OVER PARTS OF THE
NORTHERN INTERIOR...THE COAST AND THE MOUNTAINS WHILE THE REMAINDER
OF THE REGION THE WINDS ARE FAIRLY LIGHT. THEY WILL PICK UP ACROSS
THE REGION AS THE LOW MOVES JUST NORTH OF OUR LATITUDE LATER THIS
MORNING AND THE FRONT SWEEPS ACROSS THE AREA. THEN ON THE BACK SIDE
OF THE FRONT A STRONG SOUTHWEST ONSHORE SURGE WILL DEVELOP TO KEEP
WINDS GOING INTO THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE GRADUALLY EASING UP
OVERALL.
THE OTHER ISSUE WITH THIS SYSTEM IS THE EXPECTED SNOWFALL FOR THE
MOUNTAINS. DECENT SNOW ALREADY OCCURRING OVER THE OLYMPICS AND IT
WILL SPREAD OVER THE CASCADES THIS MORNING. THE OVERRUNNING SNOWS
WILL CHANGE TO MODERATE SNOW SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE
THROUGH TONIGHT THANKS TO MODERATELY STRONG WESTERLY FLOW. THIS
WILL MAINLY ENHANCE THE SNOWFALL OVER THE CASCADES. FOR NOW...WE
ARE EXPECTING STORM TOTALS OF ROUGHLY A FOOT OR TWO WITH LOCAL AREAS
UP TO 3 FEET OVER THE NORTHERN CASCADES BY MID DAY SATURDAY.
FOR THE REMINDER OF THE AREA SATURDAY...WE SHOULD HAVE SHOWERS
SPREAD ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE WITH MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND CONTINUED
BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES.
AS WE HEAD INTO SUNDAY...A DEEP STACKED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL
SLOWLY APPROACH THE COAST...BUT WITH EACH MODEL RUN IT IS SPINNING
UP A BIT FURTHER OFFSHORE WHICH IS LESSENING THE THREAT OF RAIN OVER
THE AREA. THIS LOW IS EXPECTED TO SIT AND SPIN THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
THEN HEAD SOUTHEAST TOWARD NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WHILE SPILLING
MOISTURE ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. AT THIS TIME WE HAVE A
THREAT OF PRECIPITATION IN THE FORECAST SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY
/CHANCE INTERIOR LOWLANDS...LIKELY COAST AND MOUNTAINS/...HOWEVER
SUNDAY COULD BE MOSTLY DRY FROM THE PUGET SOUND EASTWARD IF THE
CURRENT TREND CONTINUES. WILL NEED TO SEE HOW IT GOES. CERNIGLIA
.LONG TERM...FOR THE LONGER RANGE THE MODELS ARE HAVING A BIT OF A
HARDER TIME OF THINGS. YESTERDAY IT LOOKED AS THOUGH WE WOULD HAVE
A DECENT FRONT CROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY...BUT NOW THAT MAY END UP
CLOSER TO THURSDAY WITH A POTENTIAL FOR A DRY...WARM AND SOMEWHAT
SUNNY DAY WEDNESDAY AS A SHORTWAVE RIDGE PASSES ON THROUGH. THE
PROBLEM IS THIS RIDGE IS BEING GENERATED BY A DECENT TROUGH
APPROACHING OFFSHORE FOR THE SYSTEM THURSDAY. IF THIS SCENARIO
PLAYS OUT WE WILL PAY FOR THAT NICE DAY WITH ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS INTO
THE WEEKEND. HOWEVER AT THIS TIME RANGE THERE IS NO MODEL
CONSISTENCY FROM RUN TO RUN OR MODEL TO MODEL SO THE FORECAST HAS
BEEN LEFT A BIT BRUSHED FOR NOW. BE PREPARED FOR GLOOM AND WET BUT
ENJOY THE SUN WHEN BURSTS THROUGH. CERNIGLIA
&&
.HYDRO...A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW TO
THE OLYMPICS AND CASCADES THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOW LEVELS WILL REMAIN
FAIRLY LOW...AROUND 2000 TO 2500 FEET WHICH WILL MITIGATE THE RISK
OF FLOODING IN MOST BASINS. THE STRONG SLY FLOW OUT AHEAD OF THE
LOW WILL FAVOR HEAVY PRECIPITATION OVER THE S FACING SLOPES OF THE
OLYMPICS WHERE MODELS ARE PRODUCING 2-3 INCHES QPF.
AT THIS TIME...THE ONLY RIVER AT SLIGHT RISK FOR FLOODING IS THE
SKOKOMISH RIVER SINCE PART OF THE BASIN LIES BELOW THE SNOW LEVEL.
HOWEVER...THE LATEST HYDRO MODELS DO NOT BRING THE SKOKOMISH RIVER
TO FLOOD STAGE AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...CONTINUE TO MONITOR
FORECASTS AND ANY FLOOD STATEMENTS.
NO FLOODING IS EXPECTED ON OTHER RIVERS INCLUDING THE GREEN.
&&
.AVIATION...A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM AND DEEP LOW PRESSURE CENTER
WILL AFFECT WESTERN WA TODAY. THE MODELS STILL TAKE THE LOW DOWN TO
975-981MB AS THE LOW CENTER REACHES VANCOUVER ISLAND NEAR TOFINO
MIDDAY. THE ASSOCIATED FRONTAL SYSTEM IS STRONG...THERE WILL BE A
NUMBER OF THINGS GOING ON TDY WHICH MAKE IT ROUGH AVIATION-WISE.
STRONG SLY WINDS ALOFT AND SOUTHERLY GALES DOWN TO THE SURFACE IN
MANY AREAS. PROBABLY LOOKING AT SEVERAL HOURS OF 3-5SM MDT RAIN WITH
THE FRONT ITSELF...FROPA SHOULD BE ARND HQM AT 16Z AND KSEA 19Z.
COND LOWERING TO MVFR CIGS AND VSBY WITH THE FRONT ITSELF...LOCAL
IFR...MTNS AND HIGHER TRRN OBSCURED...BUT THE WIND SHUD BE THE
BIGGER STORY. 19
KSEA...FROPA SHOULD BE AROUND NOON. NO SGFNT CHANGES TO THE TAFS.
STRONG WINDS ALOFT WITH THE FRONT SO 16-19Z WS020/18050KT. THERE IS
A CHANCE THAT A GOOD PSCZ FORMS LATER TODAY AND I HAVE NOT ADDRESSED
THAT IN THE TAF...PROBABLY IT STAYS NEAR KPAE BUT LATER SHIFTS WILL
HAVE TO LOOK FOR THAT. 19
NOTE...EFFECTIVE AT 15Z TUESDAY APRIL 6 2010 THE NWS IN SEATTLE WILL
BEGIN 3-HOURLY TAF ISSUANCES FOR KSEA. THE INTERMEDIATE TAF
ISSUANCES AT 03Z...09Z...15Z...AND 21Z WILL BE ISSUED AS AMENDMENTS
TO THE TAFS ISSUED AT 00Z...06Z...12Z...AND 18Z. THE INTERMEDIATE
TAFS WILL BE ISSUED DURING A 20-MINUTE WINDOW BETWEEN 50 MINUTES
AFTER THE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES AFTER THE HOUR.
&&
.MARINE...STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE COASTAL WATERS AND GALE
WARNINGS FOR THE STRAIT AND INLAND WATERS. SLY WIND SHUD PEAK ARND
50KT OVER THE COASTAL WATERS FROM JUST BEFORE DAYBREAK UP TIL FROPA
BY ABOUT 9AM TO THE COASTAL BEACHES AND LATE MORNING FOR THE INLAND
WATERS...ALTHOUGH PUGET SOUND MAY NOT PEAK TIL AFTERNOON WITH THE SW
WIND BEHIND THE FRONT. SURF WILL BUILD TO ARND 20 FT BY
TONIGHT...WILL ISSUE A HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR THE BEACHES AS WELL.
19
&&
SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...WINTER STORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE OLYMPICS AND
CASCADES THRU SATURDAY MORNING.
HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE COAST...NORTH
INTERIOR...SW INTERIOR...AND STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA FROM
LATE TONIGHT THRU FRI EVENING.
A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF THE
LOWLANDS.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT COAST THROUGH SAT.
PZ...STORM WARNING COASTAL WATERS.
GALE WARNING STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA AND INLAND WATERS FRI.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY GRAYS HARBOR BAR.
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE
FOR AN ILLUSTRATED VERSION OF THE FORECAST DISCUSSION PLEASE SEE
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLE/GAFD/LATEST_WEBAFD.HTML (ALL LOWERCASE).5 high wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Tatoosh Island (TTI) had 50+ knots sustained wind for about 6 hours, including nearly 3 hours of hurricane force winds. Destruction Island (DES) had 50+ knots on and off for about 8 hours.
About 5000 homes lost power.
Hoquiam (KHQM) recorded a peak gust of 58 mph. The Westport (WPT) tide gauge had gusts 50+ knots off and on for about 3 hours. About 300 customers lost power near Quinault due to a downed tree branch.
Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (KNUW) recorded 44g62 mph at 153 PM. Keystone ferry dock had 40 mph sustained wind at 115 PM. A tree fell on a home in Scatchet Head, on Whidbey Island. Several other trees fell across roads on the island. Ferry sailings from Keystone to Port Townsend were cancelled.
Bellingham (KBLI) recorded a 61 mph peak gust. Sandy Pt. Shores measured 38g58 mph at 231 PM and 236 PM. About 5,000 customers lost power.
Paine Field (KPAE) measured a peak gust of 62 mph at 323 PM. About 5000 Snohomish county customers lost power. A few trees were downed over roads and one struck a building near Lake Stevens.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, April 2010
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: 214459, 223826, 214460, 214456, 214457, 214458.