There is a lot of attention being paid to the potential of a significant windstorm this weekend. But what are the odds, who should be concerned and how to be prepared?
Several storm fronts are forecast to roll through between tonight and Sunday. Rains will begin tonight with a half-inch expected tonight and one inch expected tomorrow. 2 to 5 inches is expected to fall in the Cascades between today and Friday. Winds are expected to pick up tonight but the first significant wind event isn’t due until Thursday evening with gusts up to 60mph being expected in some areas, including Ferndale.
An even bigger windstorm is expected to arrive Saturday and has origins in Typhoon Songda in the Western Pacific. If the storm’s low pressure center comes ashore in Washington, NWS warns it could result in a historical windstorm that would be long remembered. Such a storm would impact nearly all of western Washington with damage to structures, blocked roads and widespread power outages.
But according to a special statement from National Weather Service Seattle offices, there is a 33% (1 in 3) chance the storm’s low pressure center will cross some part of western Washington creating the worst-case scenario. This means there is a 66% (2 in 3) chance it will instead pass hundreds of miles offshore until making landfall on central or northern Vancouver Island.
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Click for more informationSo while current odds are in our favor that the low pressure center will take the least impactful route to the north, areas along the coast and north of Everett will still see potentially damaging winds, including Ferndale.
The confidence in forecasting which direction the storm will be heading will increase with each day.
In Ferndale, we also face a potential double-whammy with potential flooding being thrown into the mix.
The Nooksack River in Ferndale is forecast to rise due to the expected heavy rains, both locally and in the mountains. The current river level forecast is for the river to peak in Ferndale about 11pm Friday night at a height of 17.5′ (official flood stage is 19′). While not achieving official flood stage, this level is high enough to force closure of low-lying roads like at the corner where Paradise and Barret Roads join and Ferndale Road near Marine Drive. If there is a significant amount of local rain, surface water flooding can impact other roads such as W Smith Road near Hovander Road and roads near creeks in the county.
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Click for more informationResidents should pay attention to drains in their neighborhoods and keep them clear of leaves and debris to minimize surface water flooding risks. Drivers need to be aware of the potential for standing water on roads and heed signage advising of water over roads.
In the case of either of these wind events taking possibly historical turns, residents should be prepared for power outages that could last several days (as was experienced during the summer windstorm of 2015). This means
- having adequate food, water, batteries, flashlights and emergency supplies on hand.
- In the event of power outages, gas stations will not be able to pump gas so filling your vehicles’ tanks ahead of time is advised.
- Battery-operated radios are useful for staying informed in the event of a widespread power outage.