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Tsunami Advisory For Coastal Waters Of Oregon, Calif.

Posted: 3:27 pm PDT September 29, 2009Updated: 12:34 am PDT September 30, 2009

Officials in the San Francisco Bay Area have reported a quiet night after a tsunami advisory was issued Tuesday for the coastal areas of California and Oregon.

The National Weather Service issued the advisory after an earthquake hit near Samoa earlier Tuesday.

Though forecasters expected the highest surges to hit the region around 9:30 p.m., a harbor patrol official in San Mateo County's Pillar Point Harbor reported no noticeable rise in the water.

In nearby Pacifica, police closed Pacific Pier earlier than usual, though the waves late Tuesday were reported to be no biggerthan those generated during a winter storm.

The National Weather Service in Seattle emphasized that there is no tsunami advisory in effect for Washington waters.

An advisory means that stronger than usual currents and waves can be experienced in coastal aerials with dangers to swimmers and small boats. There is no threat of inundation connected with an advisory.

The initial wave arrivals will begin about 9 p.m. Tuesday and build toward the most hazardous period early Wednesday morning.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said "very weak" tsunami waves were registered off the island of Hachijojima about 10 hours after the quake.

There were no reports of injuries or damage in Japan, which is about 4,700 miles (7,600 kilometers) northwest of Samoa.

In Samoa and American Samoa, at least 82 people were killed when a tsunami swept ashore after the powerful earthquake hit nearby, officials said.

The massive waves flattened villages and swept cars and people out to sea.

The quake, with a magnitude between 8.0 and 8.3, struck around dawn about 125 miles (200 kilometers) from Samoa, an island nation of 180,000 people located about halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii.

It struck about 120 miles (190 kilometers) from neighboring American Samoa, a U.S. territory that is home to 65,000 people.

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Rebecca Stevenson
Rebecca Stevenson is Chief Meteorologist for KIRO 7 Eyewitness News. Stevenson holds the Seal of Approval from the American Meteorological Society (AMS) and the National Weather Association.
Meteorologist Profile

Weather to Expect:

Numerous showers and a risk of thunderstorms in western Washington tonight as a trough of low pressure moves through.
Showers will continue overnight into Saturday morning, temperatures will be chilly in the morning in the low to mid 30s. The showers will be locally heavy within a convergence zone which poses the risk of wet snow mixing with rain within the zone. The snow level is near 1,500 feet so that it would not be difficult for a heavy shower to bring wet snow as low as 1,000 feet. That would bring the potential to locations like Cougar mountain, Issaquah Alps and Tiger mountain through early Saturday morning. Accumulation is not expected but it would make for slippery roads in the higher elevations.
A new frontal system, storm #5, will bring increasing rain and breezy winds Saturday afternoon and evening. The storm will not be as powerful as the last 4 but will make itself known with more rain on top of already saturated soils. Highs will be cool in the 40s.
Sunday will begin with scattered showers which will decrease through the afternoon. More sunbreaks are expected and highs will be in the mid 40s.

Be prepared for winter driving in the passes. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Cascades through 6am as snow showers will bring an additional 6-10" of snow overnight....especially in the convergence zone between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. ~Rebecca

3 - Day Forecast
Thu
Wind and Rain
52
Fri
Showers
48
Sat
Rain
45
Seattle Metropolitan Area
Weather to Expect:

Numerous showers and a risk of thunderstorms in western Washington tonight as a trough of low pressure moves through.
Showers will continue overnight into Saturday morning, temperatures will be chilly in the morning in the low to mid 30s. The showers will be locally heavy within a convergence zone which poses the risk of wet snow mixing with rain within the zone. The snow level is near 1,500 feet so that it would not be difficult for a heavy shower to bring wet snow as low as 1,000 feet. That would bring the potential to locations like Cougar mountain, Issaquah Alps and Tiger mountain through early Saturday morning. Accumulation is not expected but it would make for slippery roads in the higher elevations.
A new frontal system, storm #5, will bring increasing rain and breezy winds Saturday afternoon and evening. The storm will not be as powerful as the last 4 but will make itself known with more rain on top of already saturated soils. Highs will be cool in the 40s.
Sunday will begin with scattered showers which will decrease through the afternoon. More sunbreaks are expected and highs will be in the mid 40s.

Be prepared for winter driving in the passes. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Cascades through 6am as snow showers will bring an additional 6-10" of snow overnight....especially in the convergence zone between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. ~Rebecca