The strongest storm in years is about to hit parts of Western Washington, according to University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences professor Cliff Mass.

Mass told KIRO Newsradio that a cyclone developing in the Pacific Ocean is the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane.

“It will be as strong as a hurricane in terms of wind speed and size,” he explained.

However, because this storm develops differently and has a different energy source, it is called a “cyclone” instead.

“They’re just as intense, but we don’t call them hurricanes,” Mass said.

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Mass expects strong winds along the coast of Washington and Vancouver Island on Tuesday, with gusts of up to 100 to 130 km/h. Downed trees and power outages are likely, he said.

“There could be a significant impact here in Western Washington because this very deep, low offshore will create a large pressure differential across the Cascades,” he warned.

The hardest hit areas will be the Cascade foothills.

“Places like Enumclaw, Black Diamond and North Bend will see extremely high winds. Some of these winds may even extend as far as Sea-Tac Airport. It’s going to be very windy Tuesday afternoon and evening,” said Mass, who expected gusts of 60 to 80 mph.

Mass notes that such weather events are rare.

“We are getting lows off the coast, but this will be an extraordinary event. This will be one of the strongest in probably a decade or so offshore. It spins very quickly, unusually so. It has happened before, but this is an unusual event,” he explained.

For downslope wind storms, he added: “We get strong winds here every three to five years, very strong winds every 10 to 20 years. This is potentially on the strong side, but we have to take it into account.”

Mass advises residents to prepare now.

“There is an extremely good chance of power outages along the coast and foothills on the west side of the Washington Cascades. If you live there, be prepared for a power outage,” he said.

For those living closer to Puget Sound, the impact won’t be as severe.

‘When you leave the mountains it will be stormy. Wind speeds will likely reach 30-60 mph, but they won’t be the damaging winds we’ll see in the foothills or on the coast,” Mass said.

The coming storm is not just a typical weather event, but an extraordinary storm that has built up quickly.

“This will be one of the strongest in probably a decade or so offshore. The revs come up very quickly, which is unusual,” Mass emphasizes.

The combination of the cyclone and the downburst wind storm makes this a significant event for the region.

Residents of the affected areas are urged to take precautions.

“If you live there, you have to be prepared for a power outage. This is a good opportunity,” Mass advised.

Preparing for possible power outages and securing items that could be blown away by high winds outside are essential steps to take.

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The storm is expected to bring hurricane-force winds to coastal Washington and Vancouver Island, with significant impacts in the Cascade foothills. While the lowlands of Puget Sound will experience stormy conditions, the most severe weather will occur in the foothills and coastal areas.

Given the storm’s rapid development and the potential for high winds and power outages, residents are encouraged to prepare now for what could be one of the most powerful storms in recent years.

Transcript of the interview:

Charlie Harger: Cliff, thanks for joining us today. We don’t call these hurricanes, but am I right in calling this a bomb cyclone?

Cliff mass: It is. In fact, it will be as strong as a hurricane in terms of wind speed and size. The only reason we don’t call it a hurricane is because its origins are different. Hurricanes develop over warm water, which gives them their energy. Our storms get their energy from a different source: the change in temperature from north to south. So they’re low-pressure systems, they’re cyclones. They are just as intense, but we don’t call them hurricanes.

Charlie Harger: But if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, then there is something in it and it will certainly cause a lot of wind and rain. Where will this have consequences? Is it the Washington coast, the BC coast? What do you expect?

Cliff mass: Well, there are several effects. There will be very strong winds along the coast. In some places along the Washington coast and especially the coast of Vancouver Island, wind gusts of 100 to 130 km per hour can occur. Interestingly, there could be a significant impact here in Western Washington because this very deep, low offshore will create a large pressure differential across the Cascades. Winds will increase as they blow from east to west into Western Washington. So I expect downslope winds in the foothills, so places like Enumclaw, Black Diamond or North Bend will see extremely strong winds. Some of these winds may even extend as far as SeaTac Airport. It will be very windy on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Charlie Harger: Normally you don’t use words like ‘extremely strong’. Can you give us an idea of ​​how strong this could be?

Cliff mass: Wind gusts of up to 60 to 80 km per hour can occur in those areas. There may be power outages. This is something we encounter every now and then: the cold, downward wind storms. Enumclaw is very famous for it, and it looks like we’ll have another one on Tuesday.

Charlie Harger: And this is a direct result of the cyclone on the coast?

Cliff mass: That’s right. It is caused by this kind of phenomenon: a large pressure difference over the Cascades with an intense low offshore.

Charlie Harger: How often does this kind of thing happen? And with that, I think that would be two questions because of the Pacific cyclone and also these downslope wind storms.

Cliff mass: We’re getting lows off the coast, but this will be an extraordinary event. This will be one of the strongest in probably a decade or so offshore. It spins very quickly, unusually so. It’s happened before, but this is an unusual occurrence. During downward wind storms, we get strong winds here every three to five years, very strong winds every ten to twenty years. This one may be on the strong side, but we have to take it into account.

Charlie Harger: Okay, so this is going to be almost an hour-by-hour situation?

Cliff mass: Yes. The models are very good, and especially when we start working on Tuesday morning, we need to know what will happen.

Charlie Harger: So your advice might be to start preparing now, especially if you’re in the foothills or in any of the areas you mentioned. Maybe you can prepare for possible power outages?

Cliff mass: That’s right. There is an extremely good chance of power outages along the coast and foothills on the west side of the Washington Cascades. If you live there, be prepared for a power outage. This is a good opportunity.

Charlie Harger: Let’s look from Olympia to Everett, for example. What does it look like in the lowlands of Puget Sound?

Cliff mass: When you go away from the mountains, it will be stormy. Wind speeds will likely reach 20 to 40 miles per hour, but they will not be the damaging winds we will see in the foothills or on the coast.

Charlie Harger: OK. And very briefly: how do we view the winter season in general? I hear that there are models that say it can get quite cold.

Cliff mass: We are in a La Niña period, which means the tropical Pacific Ocean is colder than normal. That’s usually related to our weather here. In La Niña years we are often cooler than normal, slightly wetter than normal, with more snow in the mountains. This is not the strongest La Niña in the world, but we are trending in that direction.

Charlie Harger: What’s it like at your weather station, your forecast center, when you see something like this developing? Are you looking double? What goes through your mind when you see that?

Cliff mass: We have our little conversations online between meteorologists, and of course people are very excited about this. There is currently a lot of online traffic about this. We love weather. Most meteorologists love the weather, and we especially love extreme weather.

Charlie Harger: Let’s hope it’s one of those storms that is exciting, but doesn’t cause much damage, and we can all say, “Wow, that was crazy.”

Cliff mass: I have to be honest. If you’re on the coast or in Enumclaw, things get crazy. So be ready.

Charlie Harger: Okay, Cliff Mass. Thanks for your time today.

Charlie Harger is the news director for MyNorthwest and KIRO Newsradio. Follow Charlie here on X and email him here.

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