The National Weather Service has updated their forecast for two incoming windstorms, one expected to arrive later today and the second due to hit on Saturday.
While the weather models differ on where they estimate the low pressure center of Saturday’s windstorm will come ashore, they “are coming into greater agreement on this solution,” according to an NWS announcement at 12:30pm today. NWS delivered that message via Twitter with the advice, “Focus on preparing your family.”
According to NWS, today’s storm is expected to arrive later and be a typical winter storm in terms of strength. Strong and damaging winds are expected to occur between 7pm and 10pm today (Thursday) in the Ferndale area. The potential for strong winds will continue overnight until early Friday.
A second and expectedly more powerful storm late Saturday is now forecast to produce significant and damaging winds across much of western Washington according to NWS. Widespread damage and power outages are expected to accompany the storm along with high surf and coastal erosion/flooding.
Puget Sound Energy (PSE) Corporate Affairs Officer Andy Wappler said in a video presentation today that weather models are beginning to agree on the worst-case scenario with the low pressure center of the storm passing between Vancouver Island and the Olympic Penisula as it tracks northeast. Wappler also pointed out the storm is still 48 hours away and a lot can change in that time.
In addition to the damaging winds expected over the next few days, heavy rains locally and in the mountains from these storms is expected to cause the Nooksack River to rise to nearly flood stage. The current Nooksack River forecast for the Ferndale area is for it to peak at 16.5′ around 11pm Friday night. This is short of the official flood stage of 19′.