This Past Weekend, Washington Dodged Potential Tornado’s

We don’t experience many tornadoes in Washington, but they do occur from time to time. A recent weather forecast mentioning the possibility of some tornado activity caught our attention, which thankfully avoided Western Washington and Western Oregon.

Last Saturday night, Meteorologist Chris Nunley had issued a stern warning to the Pacific Northwest: His weather model suggested the possibility of funnels, tornadoes, and damaging wind gusts this past Sunday (October 19th) from late morning to early afternoon. 

Once the cold front passes overnight into early Sunday morning, the parent low will come closer to the coast. -Meteorologist Chris Nunley

 

Here was a detailed weather forecast for the weekend that just passed

Nunles warned that this low-pressure system would create enough wind shear—changes in wind speed and direction—along with rapidly cooling temperatures high in the sky, leading to a thin layer of instability. He elaborated that even the accompanying shower activity could have produced these funnels or weak tornadoes. 

If showers or storms roll in tomorrow (this past Sunday, October 19th), the safest choice is to head indoors and stay away from windows. -Chris Nunley

This was the same system that brought a torrential downpour of rain here in the Wenatchee Valley on Sunday.

Washington has experienced its share of powerful tornadoes

Thankfully, no tornadoes materialized, but Washington isn't immune to tornadoes.

More than a dozen tornadoes of various strengths and destruction have touched down in Washington. There was a horrible day in April, in which some funnels were sighted to have touched down, not only in Seattle, but also along Highway 2 in Creston, and in Southwest Washington. It was the famously bad storm of 1972. 

A powerful storm with F3 tornadoes struck Washington in April 1972. Read More