Strong southeasterly gradients brought high wind to Western Whatcom County, the San Juan Islands, and the north coast.
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The episode as NWS SEW wrote it up.
Strong southeasterly gradients brought high wind to Western Whatcom County, the San Juan Islands, and the north 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 Jan 20, 3:15 PM PST, 5 hours 46 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Seattle WA
315 PM PST Sat Jan 20 2018
.SYNOPSIS...A strong front will move through the area tonight and
Sunday morning. Another strong front should cross Western Washington
Tuesday night and Wednesday. A cool showery upper trough will reach
the area Thursday.
&&
.SHORT TERM...A strong front will move through Western Washington
Sunday morning. Strong southeasterly gradients will develop and a
high wind warning is in effect for the typical windy spots--which
is the coast and the north. There will be heavy rain and snow and
windy weather in the Olympics, and the North Cascades and Baker
ought to do pretty well for heavy snow with this front, so the
watch became a warning. The main Cascade Passes snow will warrant
a lesser winter weather advisory.
The Skokomish river in Mason county should get up above flood stage
for some minor flooding Sunday afternoon and evening after heavy
falls in the lower elevations of the Olympics--strong south flow
aloft ought to give the lower terrain up to three inches of rain
from this front.
Behind the front the precip will turn showery and the air should be
unstable enough for a few thunderstorms--mainly along the coast
Sunday afternoon or evening. Showery weather will continue for the
first part of the week.
.LONG TERM...A vigorous frontal system is likely midweek,
followed by a cool showery upper trough. It is a little early to
sort out the details, but the pattern certainly looks good for
continuing to build the snowpack.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...The Skokomish river in Mason county has a good
chance to get above flood stage Sunday afternoon or evening,
otherwise River flooding is not expected for the next 7 days.
Rainfall through Sunday will probably push the USGS landslide
indices close to thresholds for shallow landslides.
&&
.AVIATION...A strong cold front will reach the coast and move
inland on Sunday morning. S-SE surface wind will become strong in
advance of the front tonight. Strong 850-700 mb winds will peak
near 70 knots from the southwest on Sunday morning. The air mass
will be moist and somewhat stable. A few hours of heavier rain
are expected Sunday morning, just in advance of the front.
Easterly wind component will generally hold cigs above 025, except
lower near Hood Canal.
KSEA...A few passing showers til 02z (6 pm), then dry for this
evening. Cigs will slowly lift through this evening as low-level
wind takes on a drying easterly component. S-SW winds aloft will
strengthen this evening and overnight, meeting the criteria to
include low-level wind shear in the TAF after 04z (8 pm). Strong
winds aloft expected Sunday morning. Winds aloft will peak 15z-18z
Sunday morning. At 045 will peak SW 65 knots, and 2000-foot winds
will peak southerly around 50 knots. Haner
&&
.MARINE...East-southeast gradient will tighten significantly
tonight in advance of a strong cold front that will cross the
waters on Sunday morning. Storm-force winds to near 50 kt appear
likely over the coastal waters and at the east entrance, but
cannot be ruled out over the Northern Inland Waters. The remaining
inland waters will likely see gale force winds. In Puget Sound,
gales should mainly be confined to the north end of the Sound.
Once the front passes late Sunday morning, winds will ease
somewhat abruptly.
Weaker southerly onshore flow will then follow from Sunday
afternoon through Monday morning. A warm front on Tuesday will
cause east to southeast gradients to become strong. Beyond
Tuesday, a series of fronts will continue to bring active weather
to the waters through the week ahead. Haner
&&
.SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WA...Winter Weather Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 9 AM PST
Monday for Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties-Cascades
of Snohomish and King Counties.
Winter Storm Warning from 10 PM this evening to 9 AM PST Monday
for Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties-Olympics.
Flood Watch from late tonight through Sunday evening for Hood
Canal Area-Lower Chehalis Valley Area-Olympics.
Wind Advisory from 10 PM this evening to noon PST Sunday for
Everett and Vicinity-Hood Canal Area.
High Wind Warning from 8 PM this evening to noon PST Sunday for
Admiralty Inlet Area-San Juan County-Western Skagit County-
Western Whatcom County.
High Wind Warning from 6 PM this evening to 10 AM PST Sunday for
Central Coast-North Coast.
Wind Advisory from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM PST Sunday for
Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca.
PZ...Small Craft Advisory for rough bar until 9 PM PST Monday for
Grays Harbor Bar.
Storm Warning from 6 PM this evening to 9 AM PST Sunday for
Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island 10 To 60
Nm-Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island Out 10
Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville 10
To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point
Grenville Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To
Cape Shoalwater 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point
Grenville To Cape Shoalwater Out 10 Nm.
Storm Warning from 6 PM this evening to noon PST Sunday for East
Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Gale Warning from 6 PM this evening to noon PST Sunday for
Admiralty Inlet-Northern Inland Waters Including The San
Juan Islands.
Gale Warning from 6 PM this evening to 9 AM PST Sunday for West
Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Gale Warning from 6 PM this evening to 10 AM PST Sunday for
Central U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca.
Gale Warning from 10 PM this evening to 10 AM PST Sunday for
Puget Sound and Hood Canal.
&&
www.weather.gov/seattleThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Lopez Island recorded sustained wind of 49 mph, gusting to 63 mph, over several hours. Eastsound recorded a 61 mph gust.
The Bellingham ASOS recorded a peak gust of 59 mph. Ferndale recorded 41 mph sustained wind, gusting to 76 mph, over about 12 hours. A CWOP near Bellingham recorded 41 mph sustained wind, gusting to 62 mph, over 9 hours.
The tide gauge at La Push recorded a 58 mph gust.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Washington in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Washington, January 2018
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: 727999, 728000, 727998.