Storm pounds Pacific Northwest

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GOES IR satellite image shows potent storm heading for the Pacific Northwest coastline.

We get some pretty good storms in Minnesota, but imagine the pounding they are getting in the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest today.

A powerful storm racing southeast from the Gulf of Alaska is crashing into the Washington and Oregon coastline. Winds gusts of 50 to as high as 80mph will slam ashore, downing trees in the process. Heavy surf is churning up along the coast, making for some excellent viewing but coming with coastal flooding. Winds along the coast will shift from easterly this morning to west and increase dramatically later today.

Numerous storm warnings are in effect including high wind warnings, winter storm warnings and even an avalanche watch in the Cascades.

Imagine trying to forecast these systems in the days before modern weather satellites allowed us to see storms from space before they reach the coast.

There is a connection between powerful Pacific Northwest storms and our weather in the Upper Midwest. Pacific storms act as huge atmospheric vacuums, sucking up milder air in the central states. This usually produces a southerly wind flow and milder than average temperatures here in Minnesota. This pattern will hold true again this time with temperatures running about 5 to 10 degrees above average through this weekend.

A piece of the Pacific storm will break off and gather in the southern states by the weekend. It may then come north, and has the potential to produce snowfall somewhere between the Twin Cities and Chicago by early next week. This could affect travel plans between the Cities and Chicago if it develops.

Stay tuned.

PH