- Wednesday, December 17th–Kitsap missed
out on the snow
So how many were expecting to make it through the day perfectly
dry? I suppose it’s never a slam dunk in Washington, but the reason
why we stayed relatively dry for the first part of
today was because of the “Olympic Rain Shadow”. This shadow
occurs when weather systems come in from the ocean in westerly
flow, bringing the bulk of the precipitation right into the
Olympic Mountains and from there spreading to the north and south.
The mountains then act as a barrier and squeeze out most of
the moisture before it hits us, thus leaving the main
Kitsap/Seattle metro area relatively dry. You’ve probably noticed
this phenomenon on the radar once or twice this winter.
OK! Now on to the real action for tonight. Because the wind flow
has switched to southwesterly, expect periods of heavy rain;
heaviest over south Kitsap (2-2.5”), though the rest of Kitsap
County could see anywhere from 1-2 additional inches of rain. In
fact, the Kitsap area is under a FLOOD WATCH until early tomorrow morning.
I think we ought to be grateful, though, that the heavy rain
started so late here. If it had started as soon as surrounding
areas, we could be talking about major floods!
So, expect heavy rain through the night. The heaviest
precipitation should be overwith by 2-3 AM, so the morning commute
will be wet–like Washington wet…nothing too
unusual. For the rest of your Thursday, look for mostly cloudy
skies with light rain showers. Highs will be in the mid to upper
40s.
Friday has looked and STILL looks quite pleasant…well, at least
compared to the past few days. Skies will be partly to mostly
cloudy, but it doesn’t look like a rainy day so if there are any
outdoor plans for Friday you should be A-OK. Highs will be more
seasonable in the low to mid 40s.
The rain returns Saturday afternoon and lasts through the
weekend, though at this time precipitation looks relatively light
and harmless. Highs will be, again, in the low to mid 40s.
And then Mother Nature FINALLY discovers our white surrender
flags we’ve been waving since mid December. A large ridge of high
pressure builds out over the area leading the way to partly to
mostly sunny skies and comfortable temperatures in the mid and
upper 40s. **DISCLAIMER** I’m sure you knew there was a catch…with
all the rain we’ve been receiving lately, moist roadways under
partially clear nights will almost certainly lead to areas of
morning fog–perhaps extended fog well into the afternoon hours. If
that ends up being the case, it could really skew the high
temperature forecast. For now, stay tuned!
INFO ON THE MOUNTAINS
Uggghhh…I’ve never been skiing, but I’m not sure I’d want to go
on my first bunny course with the weather the way it is right now…
What really pushes my buttons about these subtropical “Pineapple
Express” systems (the term “Pineapple Express” basically means the
weather pattern originates from Hawaii and it tends to carry a lot
of warm, moist air with it. See picture)
is that they usually cause the snow level to skyrocket,
leaving the mountains with a warm, killer rain. They are forecasted
to receieve 8-15” of rain by the time this whole event is over, and
the Cascades are under a AVALANCHE WARNING
so it is advised to not travel or
backpack during this time (why you would want to backpack in this
weather is a mystery to me, but just thought I’d mention it!) Ski
resorts are still open at this time, but check back within the next
couple days as the mudslide/avalanche danger could ruin the fun for
skiers and snowboarders.
Stay tuned to this blog for any updated weather changes and stay
safe!
Matthew Leach
Kitsap Weather
7 DAY FORECAST
