Thunder, lightning, hail…a tornado? Seattle, Western Washington brace for severe storm
After a stretch of summer-like weather, Western Washington is bracing for more severe conditions that could include everything from thunder, hail, lightning, and possibly even a tornado.
The National Weather Service said the severe weather outlook carries up to a 29% chance of severe hail greater than one inch in diameter, the possibility of wind gusts up to 60 mph, and a 5-9% chance of a tornado south of Tacoma when the storm hits Wednesday evening.
“We don’t see this setup very often at all, actually, for Western Washington,” said NWS meteorologist Maddie Kristell. “Basically, we’ve got a low-pressure system offshore, and it’s positioned in a way that’s really favorable for the development of more robust thunderstorms than we typically see in our area, with an increased likelihood that they may be of the severe variety.”
RELATED: How to prepare for the Seattle area’s next big storm
Thunderclouds started rolling across the Olympic Peninsula late Wednesday morning. The Storm Prediction Center said the storms could become severe after 5 p.m. west of the Cascades, as far north as Whidbey Island and as far south as the Columbia River.
The wild weather isn’t expected to last long, but the fast-moving storm could impact the evening commute.
The last confirmed tornado in Western Washington touched down in Port Orchard in December 2018. That twister damaged dozens of homes and had peak winds of around 130 mph. It was the strongest tornado to hit the state since 1986.
“The threat of tornadoes is unlikely, but rotation or a brief spin up cannot be fully ruled out,” according to a weather service briefing Tuesday afternoon.
If people see or hear a tornado, or strong wind gusts, the weather service advises them to remain indoors, grab a blanket, light a candle, and stay away from windows. Move pets indoors and secure any items that could be blown away by strong winds.
The weather is expected to calm down later this week, with rain Thursday and Friday and temperatures closer to the normal range for this time of year, in the 40s and 50s.
