Today, Monday, November 11, 2013, will bring breezy and possible gusty conditions to the Snoqualmie Valley. In fact, it’s one of those days when if you leave the Valley and head west, you’ll wonder if you left the state, as weather conditions could be very different elsewhere.
Hello, gap winds. High pressure over SE British Columbia and low pressure building off shore are essentially sucking winds through the gaps in the Cascades as the two pressure systems attempt to 
balance each other out. Snoqualmie Pass is a prominent place for winds to race through, creating windy conditions in nearby towns like North Bend and Snoqualmie – at the end of Mother Nature’s wind tunnel.
The December 2003 wind storm that sent trees toppling onto area homes was the product of gap winds. Today’s event does NOT look to be anything like that storm – or even last’s weekend’s.
As of 8AM, peak wind gusts of around 35-40mph were recorded by weather stations at North Bend Elementary and Mount Si High School. The offshore winds will boost temperatures today, though, with 60+ degrees being predicted in the foothills. Oh, and no rain is in the forecast either.
Basically, it’s one of those fall days when it’s only breezy/windy in the Valley. Something that doesn’t phase most longtime residents. New residents? Well, this is what your friends warned you about when they said it can get windy out there.
Yes, it can. You can thank the mountain passes (gaps) for that phenomenon. But remember, the Snoqualmie Valley also gets sunshine when everyone else gets socked in by fog. It’s all about weather give and take.
The windy conditions are forecast to last through this evening.
Comments
I love these winds!. The heavy metal bells hanging on arbors around the property begin to sing and alert us to the gusts.. always awesome to see the big trees sway in the winds.. I am sure they love the “massage”.. and the air is so clean as well.. Gap winds are good!
I also love the gap winds… my favorite part of fall and winter out here. It usually means clean, crisp, dry air. And it also brings us snow later on when it raining elsewhere.