Brief high wind occurred in western Whatcom county and the San Juans.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
Brief high wind occurred in western Whatcom county and the San Juans.
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 Mar 15, 2:25 AM PST, 44 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
325 AM PDT THU MAR 15 2012
CORRECTED 3RD PARAGRAPH SHORT TERM DISCUSSION.
.SYNOPSIS...A VIGOROUS FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE COASTAL
WATERS THIS MORNING WILL MOVE THROUGH THE INTERIOR VALLEYS MIDDAY
THEN EAST OF THE CASCADES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS FRONT WILL BRING
LOCALLY WINDY CONDITIONS AND HEAVY MOUNTAIN SNOW. COOL AND ACTIVE
WEATHER WILL DOMINATE THROUGH THE END OF NEXT WEEK AS A SERIES OF
DISTURBANCES ROTATE AROUND A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH NEAR THE
WASHINGTON COAST.
&&
.SHORT TERM...A RATHER ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL DOMINATE OVER THE
NEXT WEEK OR SO AS A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES ROTATE AROUND A
PROGRESSIVE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH THAT IS CURRENTLY SITTING OVER THE
EASTERN PACIFIC.
A RATHER STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM SITS FROM THE NORTH CENTRAL VANCOUVER
ISLAND COASTLINE SW TO 42N 133W THEN WESTWARD OUT INTO THE PACIFIC.
THE FRONT AND ASSOCIATED JET HAS ENTRAINED SOME TROPICAL MOISTURE
THAT ORIGINATES OVER THE WESTERN PACIFIC. WHILE THIS PLUME IS
WEAKENING AS IT MOVES ITS WAY ACROSS THE PACIFIC...ONE BAND OF HEAVY
RAINFALL NOW SEEN APPROACHING THE COAST WILL PASS ACROSS THE AREA
THIS MORNING. THIS WILL ENHANCE OVER THE SOUTH AND WEST FACING
OLYMPICS WITH SWLY 850 MB FLOW APPROACHING 70 KT THIS MORNING PER
NAM12 BUFR SOUNDINGS. SNOW LEVELS WILL BRIEFLY RISE TO 4000 TO 5000
FEET THIS MORNING THEN FALL BACK TO 3000 FEET OR SO OVERNIGHT
TONIGHT S COLD AIR ALOFT MOVES INTO THE AREA BEHIND THE FRONT. RAIN
RATES FROM POLAR ORBITING MICROWAVE SENSORS ARE ABOUT 0.15-0.30
INCHES PER HOUR PER NESDIS ESTIMATES. WITH SOME OROGRAPHIC
ENHANCEMENT...THE S FACING OLYMPICS COULD SEE 2-3 INCH 12 HOUR
RAINFALL AMOUNTS THIS MORNING PER MESO MODELS INCLUDING THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON WRFGFS 4KM SOLUTION. THE RAINFALL COMBINED
WITH SNOW MELT FROM THE WARM PLUME ALOFT WILL GIVE A RAPID RISE TO
THE SKOKOMISH RIVER TODAY AND MINOR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. A FLOOD
WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE SKOKOMISH IN MASON COUNTY. HEAVY SNOW
WILL FALL IN THE MOUNTAINS ABOVE ABOUT 4000 FEET WITH ANOTHER 6-12
INCHES EXPECTED TODAY. THE MOUNTAINS HAVE ALREADY SEEN 1-2 FEET AND
AVALANCHE DANGER IS HIGH. A WINTER STORM WARNING WILL BE MAINTAINED
FOR ALL OF THE MOUNTAINS THROUGH 6 PM THIS EVENING.
THE AIR MASS ALOFT IS RATHER UNSTABLE OFFSHORE BEHIND THE FRONT WITH
500 MB TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON ALONG THE COAST DOWN TO -25C TO
-30C. SO ISOLATED TSTMS HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE FORECAST FOR THE
COASTAL ZONES AND THE COASTAL WATERS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
A SHOWERY REGIME IS EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY AS UPPER LEVEL
TROUGHING LIFTS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA.
MODELS ARE INCREASINGLY COMING TO THE CONSENSUS THAT ANOTHER LOW
PRES SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP NEAR 41N 130W MIDDAY FRIDAY THEN LIFT NE
ACROSS THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST ON ITS WAY INTO THE AREA. THE 00Z
GFS AND ECMWF SOLUTIONS TAKE THIS LOW INLAND OVER NW OREGON THEN
WEAKEN IT AS IT MOVES INTO EASTERN WA SAT MORNING. THE NAM12 IS
FARTHER NORTH TAKING THE LOW INTO W WA. PRECIPITATION CHANCES WILL
INCREASE LATER FRI OR FRI NIGHT AS THE LOW APPROACHES...BUT STRONGER
WIND WITH THIS LOW SHOULD REMAIN WELL TO THE SOUTH OF THE FORECAST
AREA AS THE LOW PASSES BY TO THE SOUTH.
SNOW LEVELS WILL DROP TO AROUND 1000 FEET IN SHOWERS SAT THROUGH THE
WEEKEND AS A DEEP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SWINGS ACROSS THE AREA.
TEMPERATURES OVER THE WEEKEND WERE LOWERED 2-4 DEG FROM PREVIOUS
VALUES WITH THE INCOMING TROUGH. ALBRECHT
.LONG TERM...A COOL UPPER TROUGH SWINGING ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY
WILL GIVE SHOWERS WITH SNOW LEVELS AROUND 1000 FEET. SNOW LEVELS
WILL RISE SOMEWHAT LATER MON INTO TUE AS YET ANOTHER WET FRONTAL
SYSTEM APPROACHES THE AREA FROM THE WEST. ANOTHER DEEP TROUGH IS IN
STORE FOR LATER NEXT WEEK KEEPING WEATHER ACTIVE. ALBRECHT
&&
.HYDROLOGY...A PERIOD OF RAIN AND HIGHER SNOW LEVELS THIS MORNING
WILL GIVE ABOUT A 50 PERCENT PROBABILITY THAT FLOODING WILL OCCUR ON
THE SKOKOMISH RIVER IN MASON COUNTY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT.
ANOTHER WET SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA ON TUESDAY. SOME
MODELS...ESPECIALLY THE 00Z ECMWF INDICATE THAT YET ANOTHER WET
SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA LATER WED OR THU. THE THREAT FOR
FLOODING ON MORE FLOOD PRONE RIVERS DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK
APPEARS TO BE INCREASING.
WITH THE RAIN OVER THE PAST WEEK...THE AREA IS GETTING CLOSE TO THE
THRESHOLD WHERE A LANDSLIDE OUTLOOK WILL BE NEEDED. FOR NOW THE
CRITERIA ARE NOT BEING MET BUT THAT DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE THREAT OF
ISOLATED LANDSLIDES IN THE AREA. ALBRECHT/SCHNEIDER
&&
.AVALANCHE...A NEARLY CONTINUOUS PARADE OF STORMS BEGAN IN THE
OLYMPICS AND NORTH WA CASCADES FRIDAY SPREADING TO THE REMAINDER OF
THE CASCADES AND MT HOOD AREA SATURDAY. THE STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS OF
SNOW ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE WITH MOST AREAS RECEIVING 4 TO 7 FEET OF
SNOW IN THE PAST FIVE DAYS AND MT BAKER 9 FEET + OVER THE PAST 6
DAYS.
INCREASINGLY DENSE SNOW IS COMBINING WITH WARMING DURING THE PAST 12
HOURS TO CREATE AN INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS SNOWPACK AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE AVALANCHES. HEAVY SNOW OR RAIN LIKELY
THURSDAY MORNING SHOULD LOAD THE RECENT SNOW WHICH MOSTLY ARRIVED AT
LOW FREEZING LEVELS AND IS RELATIVELY WEAK OVERALL. WITH A CRUST
LAYER DEVELOPED LATE LAST WEEK UNDERLYING AND PROVIDING A SLIDING
SURFACE FOR THE 4 TO ALMOST 10 FEET OF SNOW...SLIDES BEGINNING
WITHIN THE MOST RECENTLY RECEIVED NEW SNOW MAY STEP DOWN AND TRIGGER
SLIDES INVOLVING ALL OF THE SNOW ABOVE THE CRUST...OR AN OLD BURIED
HOAR FROST LAYER FROM FEBRUARY..WITH SOME SLIDES REACHING 6-10 FEET
OR MORE. ALL IN ALL A VERY DANGEROUS AVALANCHE SITUATION IS GETTING
WORSE. AS A RESULT AVALANCHE DANGER IS BECOMING EXTREME ABOVE ABOUT
5000 FEET AND GENERALLY HIGH ELSEWHERE. NO TIME FOR MOUNTAIN
RECREATION AWAY FROM SKI AREAS...AND ALL TRAVELERS SHOULD BE AWARE
OF THE DANGER OF VERY DEEP UNCONSOLIDATED SNOW AND THE POTENTIAL FOR
TREE WELL BURIALS.
AN AVALANCHE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THURSDAY AND MAY EXTEND
INTO FRIDAY.
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT. PLEASE VISIT
WWW.NWAC.US FOR FURTHER DETAILS. MOORE
&&
.AVIATION...STRONG WEST SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT TODAY WILL BECOME MORE
SOUTHWESTERLY AND WEAKEN TONIGHT. AT THE SURFACE STRONG SOUTHEAST
GRADIENTS TODAY WILL EASE AND BECOME ONSHORE TONIGHT. AIR MASS IS
MOIST AND STABLE. A FRONT WILL REACH THE COAST ABOUT 12Z AND PASS
THROUGH PUGET SOUND 16Z-18Z.
CEILINGS...CURRENTLY AROUND 5-6K FT...WILL FALL RAPIDLY TO 2-4K FT
AS THE FRONT APPROACHES. THERE COULD BE A DIP BELOW 2K FT FOR A FEW
HOURS BEFORE FRONTAL PASSAGE AROUND 18Z. VISIBILITY COULD BE AS LOW
AS 3-5SM IN RAIN/MIST. SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT IN SHOWERS LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
KSEA...DISCUSSION ABOVE APPLIES. WINDS WILL BE SOUTHEAST 5-15 KT
WITH GUSTS TO 25 KT THIS MORNING...BECOMING SOUTHWEST 12G22 KT AFTER
18Z...THEN EASING TO 6-10 KT IN THE EVENING. CHB
&&
.MARINE...SOUTHEASTERLY GALES NOW OCCURRING ON THE COAST...AT THE
ENTRANCES...OVER THE NORTHERN INLAND WATERS...AND IN ADMIRALTY
INLET. THESE WILL LAST THROUGH THE MORNING THEN TAPER TO SMALL CRAFT
ADVISORY WINDS...EXCEPT ON THE COAST WHERE ONSHORE FLOW 25-35 KT
WILL CONTINUE INTO THE AFTERNOON. WINDS ALL AREAS WILL FALL BELOW
EVEN SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY SPEEDS TONIGHT. WESTERLY SWELL ON THE
COAST WILL PEAK AROUND 15 FT TODAY.
ALL WINDS SHOULD BE BELOW 20 KT TONIGHT. ON FRIDAY ONSHORE FLOW
STRENGTHENS AND SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE LIKELY. THE
NEXT SYSTEM IS A LOW CENTER THAT WILL PASS RIGHT OVER WESTERN
WASHINGTON...OR POSSIBLY SOMEWHAT TO THE EAST...AS IT TRAVELS FROM
SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. WINDS WILL SWITCH FROM NORTHERLY ON SATURDAY
TO SOUTHERLY ON SATURDAY NIGHT AS THE LOW PASSES. ANOTHER SYSTEM
WILL REACH THE COAST ABOUT TUESDAY.
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE CASCADES AND OLYMPICS
THROUGH TODAY.
EXTREME AVALANCHE DANGER ABOVE 5000 FEET THIS MORNING.
WIND ADVISORY FOR THE COAST AND NORTH INTERIOR THROUGH
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.
FLOOD WATCH FOR THE SKOKOMISH RIVER IN MASON COUNTY THROUGH
TONIGHT.
PZ...GALE WARNING ALL WATERS EXCEPT CENTRAL STRAIT AND PUGET
SOUND.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CENTRAL STRAIT AND PUGET SOUND.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR ROUGH GRAYS HARBOR BAR.
WEATHER.GOV/SEATTLEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Lopez Island recorded sustained wind of 41 mph.
Sandy Point Shores had sustained wind of 40 mph. A cooperative observer near Bellingham recorded a gust of 59 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, March 2012
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: 361442, 361441.