Mild Wednesday and Thursday

One of the things you probably notice as you step outside is how mild we are for mid-November.  During our morning newscast from 4:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. we were experiencing temperatures in the upper 40s and low 50s.  Just a couple days ago over the weekend, high temperature were struggling to climb that high.  In fact, the first 7 days of this month experienced high temperatures below average.  We’re going the other direction today with highs in the mid to upper 50s, well above the average high is 52° for this time of year. 

The wind direction across Western Washington is a major reason why we are so mild.  If you look at the satellite image on the top, you can clearly see a large trough of low pressure centered off the coast of Northern California.  With Western Washington on the east side of that trough, we are seeing a southerly flow.  From the surface up to around 15,000 feet in the atmosphere, winds are blowing out of the southwest.  This is transporting in warmer air.  Clouds will continue to stream through for your Wednesday with a few scattered showers around the sound.  If you like it mild, tomorrow is looking even better.  Clouds will be clearing out leaving us with mostly sunny skies and upper 50s.  Some areas around the south sound will be around 60.  Weather like this is often hard to find in November! 

The Hammer Drops

The second satellite image is a shot of the intense storm off the west coast of Alaska.  You can see the center of low pressure north of Nome.  Many are calling it the Bering Sea Superstorm.  That name is appropriate; hurricane-force winds, extremely high surf, beach erosion, and blowing snow are all concerns.  Wind gusts approaching 90 mph have already been recorded this morning.  I have read some reports on Twitter that roofs have been blown off homes and fist-sized rocks are blowing through the air.  Incredible.  This storm will continue to pound the west coast of Alaska through much of the day.     

The question I have received from viewers this morning is whether or not Western Washington will be affected by this storm?  The center of low pressure is moving north, so it will not be tracking into our area.  However, energy from the Bering Sea will be developing into a storm that will hit us on Friday.  So you can say that this Superstorm is connected to the weather we will be experiencing later this week. 

Get ready for the hammer to drop Friday.  The mild weather we’re experiencing right now will be a distant memory.  A cold storm tracking in from the northwest will pack cold rain for the lowlands, heavy mountain snow, and breezy conditions.  Across the lowlands temperatures drop into the 40s with heavy rain at times.  Snow will stay in the mountains, but it will be falling all the way down to Snoqualmie Pass.  If you’re traveling over the Cascades this weekend, you’ll want to keep an eye on the conditions.  We’ll keep you updated here on www.kirotv.com.  Skiers and snowboarders, I can see the smile on your face! 

-Sam Argier, KIRO 7 Morning Meteorologist