Latest Forecast from the National
Weather Service--
You don't see the NWS going for
"Giant Waves" very often.
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
301 PM PST THU NOV 5 2009
...GIANT WAVES TO IMPACT THE WASHINGTON COAST ON FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY...
.A LARGE AND POWERFUL LOW PRESSURE CENTER IN THE GULF OF ALASKA
HAS GENERATED GIANT WAVES WHICH WILL REACH THE WASHINGTON COAST
ON FRIDAY MORNING AND THEN CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY.
WAZ516-517-061215-
/O.NEW.KSEW.SU.W.0001.091106T1800Z-091108T0000Z/
NORTH COAST-CENTRAL COAST-
301 PM PST THU NOV 5 2009
...HIGH SURF WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 4 PM PST
SATURDAY FOR THE CENTRAL AND NORTH WASHINGTON COAST...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A HIGH SURF
WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 4 PM PST
SATURDAY.
A LONG SERIES OF GIANT WAVES WILL START TO IMPACT THE WASHINGTON
COAST ON FRIDAY MORNING AND THEN CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY.
POWERFUL WAVES OF 25 TO 28 FEET ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE
BEACHES DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. THE GIANT WAVES WILL BE SEPARATED
BY ABOUT 15 TO 20 SECONDS OF TIME...SO DO NOT BE LULLED BY PERIOD
BETWEEN WAVES INTO THINKING IT IS SAFE TO VENTURE CLOSE TO THE
WATERS EDGE.
WAVES OF THIS SIZE PUSH LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER ONTO THE COASTLINE
AND INTO HARBORS...COVES AND INLETS. COASTAL INLETS...INCLUDING
GRAYS HARBOR...CAN EXPECT TO SEE TIDE LEVELS RUNNING ABOUT A FOOT
HIGHER THAN TIDE TABLE PREDICTIONS. TIDE TABLES FOR ABERDEEN
PREDICT A HIGH TIDE OF 10.9 FEET AT 245 PM FRIDAY...A HIGH TIDE OF
8.8 FEET AT 441 AM SATURDAY...AND ANOTHER HIGH TIDE OF 10.4 FEET
AT 339 PM SATURDAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THESE WAVES ARE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO SWEEP UNWARY BEACH WALKERS OUT
TO SEA. PEOPLE CAN BE SERIOUSLY INJURED BY DEBRIS...SUCH AS
LOGS...TOSSED ABOUT IN THE WAVES.
Latest Wavewatch 3 forecasts indicate worst waves on our
coast will be later tomorrow...check out their graphical
prediction (this is for 10 PM tomorrow):
Buoy Observations Offshore--Wave Heights are
rising fast!
These are significant wave height observations at
buoys on or near the WA coast.
Okay, well I thought this was going to be a non-event for the inland area but we are getting 18- 20 knot winds along with driving rain in north kitsap. Nice :) all hail the November gales!
ReplyDeleteThink of those poor folks crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca when those big swells push in there...
ReplyDeleteHaven't had hardly any wind to speak of east of Redmond. But just now, we got a HUGE gust of very strong winds and it blew the hottub cover off, blew over an iron bench, and blew a plant over.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, just had another verrryy strong gust. Oh, and I think there goes the hottub cover again. Might just leave it off for tonight! :)
WOW! I really wish I could take a wave watching trip out there, I love LaPush. But I've a paper to write and big test on Tuesday. I'll just have to keep my eye on the cam. Mr. Mass, try to schedule these weather wonders when I'm on break! :)
ReplyDeleteVery interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnd as I had to look it up I'm sure other will too ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Significant_wave_height
The significant wave height (SWH), is the average wave height (trough to crest) of the one-third largest waves.
The original definition resulted from work by the oceanographer Walter Munk during World War II. The significant wave height was intended to mathematically express the height estimated by a "trained observer".
A more accurate physical definition is in the AMS Glossary here
WOW! I wasn't expecting much wind tonight, I thought the North Interior and the coast had all the action but good grief! It is VERY VERY windy just east of Redmond at about 500' or so. Tree tops are going crazy, swaying every which way.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I tied down the hottub cover tonight. Or else I might of been going on a hunt for it tomorrow morning. ;)
My father in law was in the Navy as an engineer down in Oxnard. He always used to say how windy and rough the waves were in the Straits. He mentioned being on a new destroyer design there once, doing sea trials. He said the waves measured 80 feet. This was the only time he was there and sort of made a blanket conclusion.
ReplyDeleteA few years later I asked him about this, and what year was it. He answered "1962". "Oh that is interesting. What month?" He answered "October". I asked "What day?"
"Columbus Day."
Yikes!!!!! He was almost shot down several times on a B-17 over France and Germany, having done 47 missions. Once he flew the plane back to England hanging onto the tail wires by hand (they had been shot away closer to the cockpit). His Sea Trial during the Columbus Day Storm was yet another time he cheated death, no doubt. He lived to a ripe old age.
KW
What are the best web cams to watch these waves, or for that matter are their any?
ReplyDeleteA positive side of the storm is that I surfed 6' faces off Seattle's West Point this afternoon, saving me a 3hr drive to the coast.
ReplyDeleteoh boy, and here i was thinking we'd have to save more bucks and go to maui in january for some monster waves. too bad packing up two small kids to go watch giant waves is not the smartest or most practical weekend activity.
ReplyDeletethe NWS post reminds me of the posters on the coast: Beach Logs Kill!!!
(and kenna, i loved your story)
Very exciting. I just happen to be at our place in Moclips this weekend. The waves seemed very high this afternoon and we had gusts of 50mph. Its hailing, blowing, raining, now. I'll try to photograph tomorrow (safely from our cliff 60 feet above the ocean beach)
ReplyDeleteBased on extensive flooding in the marina in years past, the City of Westport webcam should provide virtual front row seats:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ci.westport.wa.us/
Wow, a major hail squall just came through Wallingford/U-district. About 5 minutes of heavy hail and winds. A little lightning and thunder nearby, too. There is about 1" of hail outside!
ReplyDelete