Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Weather Alert

This from NOAA/NWS:
AN UNUSUALLY STRONG LATE SPRING PACIFIC JET STREAM WILL AIM A
UNUSUALLY MOIST BAND OF MOISTURE AT SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON AND
NORTHWEST OREGON TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WILL LIKELY REACH INTO THE
2 TO 5 INCH RANGE AT THE COAST...IN THE COAST RANGE AND IN THE
CASCADES. AMOUNTS IN THE INTERIOR VALLEYS WILL LIKELY REACH THE
1 TO 1.5 INCH RANGE...WITH 1 TO 3 INCHES INCHES IN THE COLUMBIA
RIVER GORGE. SNOW LEVELS WILL BE NEAR OR ABOVE 8000 FEET FOR MOST
OF THIS EVENT. THE HEAVY RAIN ON SNOW WILL CAUSE DANGEROUSLY
UNSTABLE CONDITIONS FOR CLIMBERS ON THE AREA PEAKS. THE
POTENTIAL WILL ALSO BE INCREASED FOR DEBRIS FLOWS FROM THE LARGE
AMOUNTS OF RAIN.

AS A SURFACE LOW CENTER OF 975 MB CURLS UP TOWARD THE SOUTHERN
BRITISH COLUMBIA COAST TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY....THE STORM WILL
ALSO CAUSE QUITE STRONG WINDS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR BOTH OVER THE
COASTAL WATERS AND ALONG THE COAST. GALE FORCE WIND WILL OCCUR
OVER THE COASTAL WATERS...WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH ALONG
COASTAL HEADLANDS AND BEACHES TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE
INTERIOR VALLEYS MAY EVEN SEE WIND GUSTS BETWEEN 25 TO 35 MPH BY
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
We had our spring back in January and February, so I guess we're getting our winter now. I for one enjoy vigorous weather- I'd rather have it put on a show than simply drizzle on me for days. 1-1.5 inches with gusts 25-35 counts as a show, but not enough of one to be scary, though enough to potentially cause power outages. Which are a damned nuisance. I also found it interesting that the weather service is pointing out the danger of debris flows. I heartily approve. In hilly SE Ohio, where I grew up, rural folks were very much aware of the dangers of flash floods. My sense, though, is that most Oregonians are blissfully unaware of the dangers of debris flows, despite the fact that several people are killed by them most years.

In other weather news, today marks the official beginning of hurricane season. Here's hoping they get the damned well shut down before a tropical storm forces workers to evacuate.

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