Strong southerlies occurred on the night of May 2, but not high wind. Westerlies began on the morning of May 3 and reached high wind criteria on Whidbey Island.
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 southerlies occurred on the night of May 2, but not high wind. Westerlies began on the morning of May 3 and reached high wind criteria on Whidbey Island. Pockets of strong wind occurred from Lewis to Skagit Counties. About 15000 customers in all lost power.
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 May 3, 2:45 AM PST, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
345 AM PDT MON MAY 3 2010
.SYNOPSIS...COOL AND BLUSTERY CONDITIONS AREA EXPECTED ACROSS
WESTERN WASHINGTON TODAY IN THE WAKE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. HEAVY
SNOW IS POSSIBLE IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH STRONG ONSHORE FLOW. A PUGET
SOUND CONVERGENCE ZONE WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL LIKELY
PERSIST INTO TUESDAY. SHOWERS WILL TAPER DOWN TUESDAY NIGHT. WEAK
HIGH PRESSURE WILL SHIFT OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST MIDWEEK WITH
TEMPERATURES MODERATING.
&&
.SHORT TERM...A COOL AND BLUSTERY DAY AHEAD FOR WESTERN WASHINGTON
AS A STRONG COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH THE AREA. THIS SYSTEM IS QUITE
STRONG FOR SPRING...MORE WINTER-LIKE IN RESEMBLANCE. THIS COLD FRONT
IS PASSING THROUGH WESTERN WASHINGTON AS OF THIS WRITING. AS
EXPECTED...STRONG SLY FLOW IS ACCOMPANYING THIS SYSTEM WITH WINDS
BECOMING WESTERLY BY DAYBREAK...ONSHORE FLOW INCREASING. WIND
ADVISORIES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE FOR MUCH OF THE INTERIOR AND THE
STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA...WHICH STILL LOOKS GOOD AT THIS POINT.
EXPECT SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH LOCAL GUSTS TO 50 MPH.
ONE CHANGE WAS TO ADD THE EVERETT AREA AND WESTERN SKAGIT TO THE
WIND ADVISORY...WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY UNDER A HIGH WIND
WARNING...DON/T THINK WE WILL SEE HIGH WINDS IN THESE ZONES. DID
KEEP THE HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE ADMIRALTY INLET AREA WITH STRONG
SOUTH WINDS BECOMING WEST AS WLY SURGE DEVELOPS THROUGH THE STRAIT.
MAY SEE GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH AT WHIDBEY ISLAND.
THE OTHER STORY IS THE SNOW. SNOW LEVELS WILL LOWER TO AROUND 2000
FT THIS AFTERNOON AS COLD AIR MOVES INLAND. WINTER STORM WARNINGS
ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE OLYMPICS AND CASCADES...SINCE IT IS SO LATE IN
THE SEASON. STEVENS PASS HAS ALREADY SEEN 8 INCHES OF WET SNOW...BUT
SO FAR JUST RAIN AT SNOQUALMIE PASS. HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP
THIS AFTERNOON AS A PUGET SOUND CONVERGENCE ZONE DEVELOPS WITH MORE
SNOW EXPECTED IN THE PASSES. THE CONVERGENCE ZONE WILL LIKELY
PERSIST INTO TUESDAY MORNING/AFTERNOON.
ELSEWHERE...SHOWERS TAPERING DOWN THIS AFTERNOON EXCEPT FOR THE
INTERIOR. AS MENTIONED ABOVE...WITH THE CONVERGENCE ZONE DEVELOPING
WILL SEE A THREAT FOR HEAVIER SHOWERS BETWEEN TACOMA AND EVERETT.
ANOTHER CONVERGENCE ZONE OFF VANCOUVER ISLAND IS POSSIBLE. MAY EVEN
SEE ISOLD THUNDERSTORMS IN THE CONVERGENCE ZONE WITH THE COLD POOL
OVERHEAD...500 MB TEMP AT -34C.
SHOWERS WILL DECREASE THROUGH TUES AND TUES NIGHT AS THIS SYSTEM
EXITS AND ONSHORE FLOW DECREASES. STILL A CHANCE FOR T-STORMS IN THE
INTERIOR. DRIER AND SLIGHTLY WARMER WEATHER BY WED. 33
.LONG TERM...WESTERN WASHINGTON WILL CONTINUE TO MODERATE MID TO
LATE WEEK AS A WEAK UPPER LEVEL RIDGE DEVELOPS OVER THE NE PAC AND
SHIFTS INLAND. IN FACT COULD SEE 60S AGAIN IN THE INTERIOR BY THU
AND FRI WITH LIGHT OFFSHORE FLOW. A WEAK UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MAY PASS
INLAND FRI NIGHT OR SAT WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE MOUNTAINS. A
DEEPER TROUGH MAY DEVELOP OFFSHORE BY SUN THEN DIVE SE INTO CA BY
MON...VERY LITTLE IMPACT ON WESTERN WA. 33
&&
.AVIATION...STRONG COLD FRONT JUST TO THE EAST OF KSEA AT 10Z.
STRONG WESTERLY WINDS ALOFT...35 TO 45 KNOTS AT 5000 FEET...IN THE
WAKE OF THE FRONT WILL EASE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AT THE
SURFACE KOLM-KBLI GRADIENT ALREADY UP TO PLUS 6 MB WITH SOUTHWEST
WINDS IN THE 15 TO 25 KNOT RANGE WITH GUSTS 30-40 KNOTS ACROSS THE
AREA. THE WINDS WILL EASE LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON
HOURS.
CEILINGS STILL IN THE 1500 TO 2500 FOOT RANGE AT 10Z. WITH THE
STRONG ONSHORE FLOW A PUGET SOUND CONVERGENCE ZONE IS EXPECTED TO
FORM NEAR KPAE THIS MORNING. OUTSIDE OF THE CONVERGENCE ZONE
CEILINGS WILL IMPROVE TO 4000-6000 FEET THIS MORNING WITH THE VFR
CEILINGS CONTINUING THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. NEAR THE
CONVERGENCE ZONE CEILINGS IN THE 1000-2000 FOOT RANGE. WITH THE
STRONG SOUTHERLY GRADIENTS AND THE WESTERLY FLOW ALOFT EXPECT THE
CONVERGENCE ZONE TO REMAIN BETWEEN KPAE AND KBFI TODAY THEN SHIFT
INTO THE CASCADE TONIGHT.
KSEA...CEILINGS NEAR 1500 FEET EARLY THIS MORNING WITH CIGS
IMPROVING UP TO NEAR 4000 FEET MID TO LATE MORNING. EXPECT VFR
CEILINGS TO CONTINUE INTO THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS WITH THE
CONVERGENCE TO THE NORTH OF THE TERMINAL. SOUTHWEST WINDS 15-20
KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 30 KNOTS EASING TO MID TO LATE MORNING.
SOUTHWEST WINDS THIS AFTERNOON 10-15 KNOTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS. FELTON
&&
.MARINE...A STRONG LATE SEASON STORM WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH
TONIGHT. A 999 MB LOW OVER SOUTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA WILL MOVE EAST
AND WEAKEN TODAY. STRONG ONSHORE FLOW IN THE WAKE OF SUNDAY NIGHTS
COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE INTO TONIGHT. THE KOLM-KBLI GRADIENT IS
ALREADY PLUS 6 MB AT 10Z WITH THE KUIL-KBLI GRADIENT AT PLUS 4.7 MB
AND RAPIDLY RISING. GALE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND
EASTERN STRAIT AS WELL AS ADMIRALTY INLET AND THE INLAND WATERS THIS
MORNING. STRONGEST WINDS WILL OCCUR IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN
STRAIT LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS WITH HIGH END
WESTERLY GALES...45 KNOTS...FORECASTED. THE WINDS WILL EASE OVER THE
INLAND WATERS LATE THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS AS THE
ONSHORE GRADIENTS BEGIN TO EASE UP. GALE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN STRAIT TONIGHT WITH SMALL CRAFT
WINDS OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE WATERS. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO EASE
ON TUESDAY AS THE ONSHORE GRADIENTS CONTINUE TO WEAKEN WITH HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE AREA. LIGHT ONSHORE FLOW WILL CONTINUE
INTO WEDNESDAY WITH THE GRADIENTS BECOMING LIGHT NORTHERLY IN THE
THURSDAY TO FRIDAY TIME FRAME. FELTON
&&
.AVALANCHE...PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...LATE SEASON SNOWFALL LAST WEEK
WAS FAIRLY HEAVY AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST
ALONG WITH COOL TEMPERATURES AND MODERATE RIDGETOP WINDS. CAREFUL
SNOW PACK EVALUATION AND CAUTIOUS ROUTE FINDING CONTINUE TO BE
ESSENTIAL TONIGHT NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS
WITH SOME WIND SLABS OVERLYING WEAKER LAYERS OF MOIST OR WET SNOW.
A STRONG ALMOST MID-WINTER LOOKING STORM EXPECTED TO ARRIVE TONIGHT
THROUGH MONDAY SHOULD ADD FURTHER MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL AMOUNTS
AT PROGRESSIVELY LOWER ELEVATIONS. ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS
SHOULD RANGE UP TO 1 TO 2 FEET ABOVE 5 TO 6000 FEET IN THE OLYMPICS
AND CASCADES NEAR AND WEST OF THE CREST WITH 6-12 INCHES POSSIBLE
DOWN TO AROUND 3000 FEET AND IN SOME EAST SLOPE LOCATIONS NEAR THE
CREST. ALONG WITH INCREASINGLY STRONG RIDGETOP AND PASS WINDS THIS
SHOULD CREATE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE AVALANCHE DANGER
ESPECIALLY ON WIND LOADED TERRAIN AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS. PLEASE
CONSULT THE SPECIAL STATEMENT ON WWW.NWAC.US FOR DETAILS. MOORE
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THE ADMIRALTY INLET AREA.
WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA...NORTHWEST
INTERIOR...SAN JUANS...WESTERN SKAGIT...EVERETT AREA AND
VICINITY...SEATTLE TACOMA BREMERTON AND VICINITY...EAST PUGET
SOUND LOWLANDS AND HOOD CANAL.
A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE OLYMPICS AND
CASCADES.
PZ...GALE WARNINGS CENTRAL AND EASTERN STRAIT...ADMIRALTY
INLET...CAMANO ISLAND TO POINT ROBERTS AND PUGET SOUND AND HOOD
CANAL.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY COAST AND WEST ENTRANCE TO THE STRAIT.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH GRAYS HARBOR BAR CONDITIONS
THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.
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 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
About 1900 people lost power around Anacortes. Several trees fell, one into a power line and another blocking SR 534.
About 3500 people lost power in the Rainier Beach area of south Seattle.
About 1400 people lost power in east Jefferson county. Several trees fell, one onto a power line.
Whidbey Island Naval Air Station (KNUW) reported sustained winds of 40 mph. Two runs of the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry were canceled. About 500 people lost power. Several trees fell, one damaging a fence and a van.
About 6500 people lost power in Snohomish county.
About 1000 people lost power in Lewis County. Several trees fell, one onto a truck, some onto power lines and another blocking SR 6.
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, May 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: 233378, 233380, 233377, 222671, 233662, 233379.