It’s practically boring to continue to blog about how exciting the weather has been; the extreme has been commonplace this fall. But, that being said, here are the latest headlines:

SEATTLE – Another destructive storm is barreling down on Western Washington and people are urged to take extreme caution when outside. Forecasters say it may top the destructive force of an early 1990s windstorm that left six people dead.

“This is the strongest storm since the Inauguration Day storm,” said University of Washington atmospheric scientist Cliff Mass.

Coast and Strait of Juan de Fuca:
– 40 mph winds with gusts to 65 mph
– Strongest winds 9 p.m. on the coast, midnight on the strait with gust to 80 or 90 mph
– A high surf warning is in effect until 10 pm Friday
– A coastal flood advisory in effect from 4 p.m. today to 12 p.m. Friday
– Whidbey Island also vulnerable

Puget Sound lowlands and southwest interior:
– 40 mph winds with gusts to 65
– surging winds through Puget Sound area around midnight
– power outages likely
– flying debris hazard
– possibility of structural damage

Here in the normally peaceful river, we have impressive swells that are tossing all the boats about. I don’t have enough experience to know what’s really serious (although I’m obtaining it quickly this year), but everything seems OK. I’m once again prowling about the docks, checking the lines & cleats. Unfortunately, the tide is on it’s way to an 11 ft high at midnight, just about the time of the peak of the winds. If Mother Nature had been kind, we would have been sitting at a low tide and letting the storm blow over the top of the banks without disturbing us. No luck ~ we’ll be sitting high during the worst of it.

NJ and I went downstairs and snuggled (I haven’t been feeling well today, with a headache, neckache, and upset tum – the unusually pronounced rocking isn’t exactly helping either). It already sounds like a bathtub down there, with waves slapping against the sides. Should be an interesting night.