PacNW: 44-FT Waves, High Winds, Snow
As mentioned earlier this week, the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia Canada are getting pounded today by a massive storm system. This is being covered well by our Western News Blog and Breaking Weather News Page (PRO) so I won't go into details here.
Action Steve Penstone (PREMIUM | PRO) also has webcam images as well as maps and detailed information on the three hikers lost on Mount Hood, Oregon during this extreme snowstorm.
The wind and snow amounts from this week's storm are going to be incredible (view our graphics below) with gusts over hurricane force (74 mph) and snow amounts as high as 36 inches (locally more). Waves are no laughing matter either, with over 40-foot waves already reported offshore.
HIGHEST WIND GUSTS SO FAR (Over 70 mph):
This entry has a more complete list of wind gusts from this storm. The wave record of 44 feet was not exceeded after this entry.
Sugarloaf, WA: 85 mph
Abernathy Mountain, WA: 85 mph*
White Pass Top, WA: 81 mph
Mount Hood Meadows, OR: 78 mph
Rockhouse, OR: 72 mph
Summer Lake, WA: 72 mph
Buoy 46207 (Off BC Coast): 71 mph
Highest Waves:
Buoy 46036 (Off BC Coast): 44 Feet (So Far) (GRAPH)
Lowest Pressure:
Buoy 46004 (Off BC Coast): 28.45" Hg (GRAPH)
*Not sure about this one; data looks a little suspect. Gusts are much higher than sustained and data ends suddenly.
By the way, I did not cover last weekend's storm in the Pacific Northwest well; by Monday morning, these wind gusts over 74 mph had been reported from that storm:
Mount Hebo, WA: 83 mph
Yaquina Bridge, WA: 80 mph
Polk, OR: 78 mph
Westport, WA: 83 mph
Sekiu, WA: 75 mph
