Songda heading for Washington

KQ · 10-12-2016, 07:32 PM

Wow, local weather guys are pretty excited. Hope it's just hype but ya know... just in case you might want to gas up the car, charge up the phone and make sure the flashlight works.

‘Murderous’ Columbus Day Storm of 1962 was spawned by similar typhoon now looming over Pacific

Storm damage on 30th Avenue near East Spruce Street in Seattle three days after the Columbus Day storm. (Seattle Municipal Archives)

A log jam floats in front of Lake Washington waterfront homes just east of the East Channel Bridge after they were torn loose from a holding pond near Kennydale. (Ron De Rosa / The Seattle Times)

Oct. 12 is the anniversary of the windstorm that hit the Pacific Northwest in 1962. Similar conditions exist currently over the Pacific with Typhoon Songda, and strong storms are forecast over the next few days.

By Colin Diltz
Seattle Times photo staff
Fifty-four years ago today, a massive storm with hurricane-force winds roared across the Pacific Northwest, raging up the coast from Eureka, Calif., to Vancouver, B.C.

The Columbus Day storm was a result of the after-effects of Typhoon Freda, which released its power when it moved in cooler mid-latitudes.

Similar conditions exist currently over the Pacific with Typhoon Songda, and strong storms are forecast over the next few days.

“Coincidentally, a weakening typhoon in the western Pacific may result in another strong wind storm here late this week,” said Ted Buehner, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “This is how the Columbus Day Storm was born.”

[What to do if the power goes out]

An alert issued by the National Weather Service Wednesday said there was a one-in-three chance of a severely damaging weather system hitting Western Washington on Saturday.

“This would be a worst case scenario leading to a historical windstorm for nearly all of Western Washington that would be long remembered,” the alert stated.

It’s more likely, however, the storm will pass hundreds of miles off the coast and make landfall over Vancouver Island, according to the weather service. In that scenario, the Seattle region would experience a windstorm that would normally be expected a few times each storm season.

In 1962, wind speeds were recorded at 83 mph at West Point in Seattle and passed 150 mph along the Washington and Oregon coast. But the top gusts are not known because the measuring instruments were damaged or destroyed.

Even the World’s Fair closed due to high wind. Some people were allowed to stay at the Food Circus (now called the Armory) if they lived south of Seattle, where the damage was worse, according to HistoryLink.

The front page of The Seattle Times the day after the storm.

Warning of the storm was little to nonexistent due to the technology of the day.

“The science of computer-generated forecast, only a dozen years old at the time, was incapable of modeling on as small a scale as this storm — even though it was large. And without today’s high-resolution satellite images and remote sensing, meteorologists lacked the data to get a computer model started,” wrote Times reporter Eric Sorensen in 2002.

The storm killed at least 46 people. The front page of The Seattle Daily Times described it as “murderous.”

http://static.seattletimes.com/wp-co...36-300x485.jpg

KQ · 10-12-2016, 07:49 PM

Issuing Office: Seattle/Tacoma
Source: The National Weather Service
2:54pm PDT, Wed Oct 12

HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 6PM PDT THU UNTIL 7AM PDT FRI

... HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THURSDAY TO 7 AM PDT FRIDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THURSDAY TO 7 AM PDT FRIDAY. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING... STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL DEVELOP THURSDAY EVENING AND BECOME SOUTHWESTERLY EARLY FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE EASING.

* WINDS... SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY EVENING THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

* IMPACTS... THIS WILL BE THE FIRST WIND EVENT OF THIS MAGNITUDE ACROSS THE GREATER PUGET SOUND REGION AND SOUTHWEST INTERIOR. TREE DAMAGE IS TYPICALLY GREATER THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON. PREPARE FOR TREE DAMAGE AND SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. MANY OF THE WIND RELATED DEATHS IN WESTERN WASHINGTON OCCUR WHEN TREES TOPPLES ONTO PEOPLE IN CARS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS OR DAMAGING HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED OR OCCURRING.

**old goat** · 10-12-2016, 08:00 PM

I thought this was going to be a thread about a rapper. Songda?
They're talking 65MPH here, 125 over the crest--fairly standard wind speeds for a winter storm.
Better lock down my spa cover.

**Buster Highmen** · 10-12-2016, 08:01 PM

The lulu is coming in Saturday, see Cliff Mass:

A true monster storm, potentially as strong as the most powerful storm in NW history (the Columbus Day Storm of 1962) will be approaching our area on Saturday.
http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2016/1...n-pacific.html.

KQ · 10-12-2016, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

The lulu is coming in Saturday, see Cliff Mass:

A true monster storm, potentially as strong as the most powerful storm in NW history (the Columbus Day Storm of 1962) will be approaching our area on Saturday.
http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2016/1...n-pacific.html.

The weather guys are both horrified and excited. LOL!!!

Now in most years, the events along would be impressive, representing one of the strongest events of a typical winter season. But folks, this is just a warm up for the real action on Saturday.

A true monster storm, potentially as strong as the most powerful storm in NW history (the Columbus Day Storm of 1962) will be approaching our area on Saturday. The UW WRF sea level pressure forecast for 5 AM Saturday morning shows the approaching cyclone. The central pressure is an amazing 961 mb, with an unbelievably strong pressure gradient around it.

**snoqpass** · 10-12-2016, 08:30 PM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

The lulu is coming in Saturday, see Cliff Mass:

A true monster storm, potentially as strong as the most powerful storm in NW history (the Columbus Day Storm of 1962) will be approaching our area on Saturday.
http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2016/1...n-pacific.html.

Cliff Mass needs his own village

**Art Shirk** · 10-12-2016, 08:53 PM

Can't wait for my Friday flight. The aisle donkeys better be stocked up or I'm tripping toddlers.

**John_B** · 10-12-2016, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by snoqpass

Cliff Mass needs his own village

A village without Internet service.

**AK47bp** · 10-12-2016, 09:29 PM

The language on the NOAA warning is ominous. 1 in 3 chance.

**iceman** · 10-12-2016, 09:44 PM

How long do wind events of this nature in the PNW typically last? Just curious.

We had the 2012 Derecho which passed through in less than half an hour and it was like a bomb went off around here. Gusts were only recorded to 87 locally but there were mini-tornadoes and microbursts mixed in. One microburst came down right behind my house and literally blew up a 100-year-old Hickory tree, turned it into kindling, it was amazing. Just up the road on a small hillside with maybe 100 large pine trees it was like god came through with a weedwacker, every single tree cut off 3 feet from the ground. The destruction was unreal and the whole thing was over in no time.

**LegoSkier** · 10-12-2016, 09:54 PM

The six 80 foot tall fir trees located 30 feet up wind of my bedroom are going to be stressing me the fuck out Saturday.

**The AD** · 10-12-2016, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

How long do wind events of this nature in the PNW typically last?

A few hours, anyway. It's certainly not going to be quick like a derecho.

Really hoping this one tracks west of here.

KQ · 10-12-2016, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by iceman

How long do wind events of this nature in the PNW typically last? Just curious.

We had the 2012 Derecho which passed through in less than half an hour and it was like a bomb went off around here. Gusts were only recorded to 87 locally but there were mini-tornadoes and microbursts mixed in. One microburst came down right behind my house and literally blew up a 100-year-old Hickory tree, turned it into kindling, it was amazing. Just up the road on a small hillside with maybe 100 large pine trees it was like god came through with a weedwacker, every single tree cut off 3 feet from the ground. The destruction was unreal and the whole thing was over in no time.

The Inauguration Day Storm (Clinton's first inauguration) lasted all day. NIGHTMARE. I remember standing in my office on the 48th floor of Two Union Square and feeling seasick. The high density files were rolling from one end of the room to the other and the elevators were swinging in the shafts. Report after the storm was that the building had swayed 12 feet side to side in the high winds. Took weeks to repair the elevators. It was lovely. I think power was out for parts of the greater Seattle area for close to a week. It was really eerie to look out the office building and see nothing but black all around because all the electricity to was out in Bellevue, Mercer Island, Kirkland etc. etc. That's the big issue in Seattle - getting all the lines back up from all the trees falling on them. It's a tangled mess.

Here in W2 we had a storm in January of 2008 with sustained winds of 80mph and gust up to 100mph - they blew for the better part of the day. Wind storms here tend to stick around.

**BmillsSkier** · 10-12-2016, 11:26 PM

Ice I remember that Derecho

Of course I kid. Stay safe out there PNW peeps

**wicked_sick** · 10-12-2016, 11:32 PM

So far it seems no one is sure exactly where it's going to hit, but confidence is high that it's going to hit hard

Here's one forecast of how things my look Saturday evening.

Http://windytv.com is great for seeing this all go down from space.

**Norseman** · 10-13-2016, 06:35 AM

I want to go out to the coast to see 40ft waves slam around. I'll be hunkered down at the ranch instead of course, but still...

Wonder how long you'd be stuck out there.

**::: :::** · 10-13-2016, 06:54 AM

NWS only has Portland with "rain & breezy" for Saturday just now...wish it was supposed to be colder

sb · 10-13-2016, 07:50 AM

Looks to be a doozy. Stay safe.

KQ · 10-13-2016, 12:31 PM

[cue Jaws music}

"New computer model runs bring this storm system on Saturday night closer to the tack that was followed by the Columbus Day storm. It’s not an exact match, or an exact match storm wise, but it has the potential to produce some very powerful winds Saturday night," said KING 5 Meteorologist Rich Marriott.

http://www.king5.com/weather/powerfu...gton/334174040

**Buster Highmen** · 10-13-2016, 12:41 PM

At least the forecast for tonights winds is diminished. But Saturday isn't.

Flashlights? Candles? Food? Wood for the stove? check check check check.

**PNWbrit** · 10-13-2016, 12:47 PM

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2016/1...update_13.html

Mass just posted an update.

I fucking hate WA windstorms.... I own too many big trees...

Edit; the NWS forecast discussion was somewhat lacking in detail this morning I felt. http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_foreca...AFDSEW&wfo=SEW

KQ · 10-13-2016, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

At least the forecast for tonights winds is diminished. But Saturday isn't.

Flashlights? Candles? Food? Wood for the stove? check check check check.

Gas in the car? Lawn furniture stowed?

Made the rounds on the farm this morning. Moved tractor & implements out away from a line of cottonwoods where they are usually stored. Got the patio furniture in (it was time anyway). Made sure stock tanks are full. Making one last run to the grocery store this afternoon.

They are calling for SSE winds which is not what I need - stalls are open to the east as we rarely get wind from that direction. When the wind blows east it's a mess of shavings and leaves the horses with little respite from the wind. I can close them up but it seems to make them more nervous as they are used to being able to move in and out of the barn at will.

**Dantheman** · 10-13-2016, 01:02 PM

The QPF for the next 5 days for the entire PNW coast from Eureka to Vancouver is insane, 20+ inches of precip in places. Anyone who lives in a flood-prone area should be on full alert, and some people who would never have dreamed that their place could flood might be in for a surprise.

**::: :::** · 10-13-2016, 01:06 PM

we now have a wind advisory for this afternoon & early evening
but no special weather warnings beyond that (tho the advisory forewarns of Saturday's weather being strong)