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   From: toot@toot.com   
      
   The strongest storm in years is about to hit parts of Western   
   Washington, according to University of Washington Atmospheric Sciences   
   professor Cliff Mass.   
      
   Mass told KIRO Newsradio that a cyclone developing in the Pacific Ocean   
   is the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane.   
      
   “It will be as strong as a hurricane in terms of wind speed and size,”   
   he explained.   
      
   However, because this storm develops differently and has a different   
   energy source, it is called a “cyclone” instead.   
      
   “They’re just as intense, but we don’t call them hurricanes,” Mass said.   
      
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   Mass expects strong winds along the Washington coast and Vancouver   
   Island on Tuesday, with gusts up to 60-80 mph. Downed trees and power   
   outages are likely, he said.   
      
   “There may be a significant impact here in Western Washington because   
   this very deep low offshore will create a large difference in pressure   
   across the Cascades,” he warned.   
      
   The hardest-hit areas will be the Cascade foothills.   
      
   “Places like Enumclaw, Black Diamond and North Bend are going to get   
   some extremely strong winds. Some of those winds may extend out even as   
   far as Sea-Tac Airport. It’s going to get very windy on Tuesday   
   afternoon and evening,” Mass said, expecting gusts of 60-80 mph.   
      
   Mass notes that such weather events are rare.   
      
   “We do get lows off the coast, but this is going to be an extraordinary   
   one. This is going to be one of the strongest in probably a decade or so   
   offshore. It’s revving up very quickly, unusually so. It’s happened   
   before, but this is an unusual event,” he explained.   
      
   For downslope wind storms, he added, “We get strong winds here every   
   three to five years, a really strong one every 10 or 20. This one is   
   potentially on the strong side, but we’ll have to watch it.”   
      
   Mass advises residents to prepare now.   
      
   “There’s an extremely good chance of power outages along the coast and   
   the foothills on the western side of the Washington Cascades. If you   
   live there, you should be ready for a power outage,” he said.   
      
   For those living closer to Puget Sound, the impact won’t be as severe.   
      
   “If you get away from the mountains, it’ll be blustery. The winds will   
   probably gust up to 20-40 mph, but it’s not going to be the damaging   
   kind of winds that we’re going to see in the foothills or the coast,”   
   Mass said.   
      
   The upcoming storm is not just a typical weather event but an   
   extraordinary one that has been building up rapidly.   
      
   “This is going to be one of the strongest in probably a decade or so   
   offshore. It’s revving up very quickly, unusually so,” Mass emphasized.   
      
   The combination of the cyclone and the downslope wind storm makes this a   
   significant event for the region.   
      
   Residents in the affected areas are urged to take precautions.   
      
   “If you live there, you should be ready for a power outage. This is a   
   good chance,” Mass advised.   
      
   Preparing for potential power outages and securing outdoor items that   
   could be blown away by strong winds are essential steps to take.   
      
   Similar news: Wind advisory ends after gusts reached 50 mph in Western   
   WA   
      
   The storm is expected to bring hurricane-strength winds to the   
   Washington coast and Vancouver Island, with significant impacts in the   
   Cascade foothills. While the Puget Sound lowlands will experience   
   blustery conditions, the most severe weather will be in the foothills   
   and coastal areas.   
      
   With the storm’s rapid development and potential for strong winds and   
   power outages, residents are encouraged to prepare now for what could be   
   one of the most powerful storms in recent years.   
      
   Interview transcript:   
   Charlie Harger: Cliff, thank you for joining us today. We don’t call   
   these hurricanes, but am I right that this is what is called a bomb   
   cyclone?   
      
   Cliff Mass: It is. In fact, it will be as strong as a hurricane in terms   
   of wind speed and size. The only reason we don’t call it a hurricane is   
   because its origins are different. Hurricanes develop over warm water,   
   which gives them their energy. Our storms get their energy from a   
   different source, the change in temperature north-south. So, they’re   
   low-pressure systems, they’re cyclones. They’re just as intense, but we   
   don’t call them hurricanes.   
      
   Charlie Harger: But if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s   
   something there and it’s going to cause at least a lot of wind and rain.   
   Where is it going to be affected by this? Is it the Washington coast,   
   the BC coast? What are you expecting?   
      
   Cliff Mass: Well, there are several effects. There will be very strong   
   winds along the coast. Some places along the Washington coast and   
   particularly the coast of Vancouver Island can have winds gusting up to   
   60 to 80 mph. Interestingly enough, there may be a significant impact   
   here in Western Washington because this very deep low offshore will   
   create a large difference in pressure across the Cascades. We’re going   
   to get winds accelerating as they go from east to west down into Western   
   Washington. So, I expect downslope winds in the foothills, so places   
   like Enumclaw, Black Diamond, or North Bend are going to get some   
   extremely strong winds. Some of those winds may extend out even as far   
   as SeaTac Airport. It’s going to get very windy on Tuesday afternoon and   
   evening.   
      
   Charlie Harger: You usually don’t use words like “extremely strong.” Can   
   you give us an idea of how strong this might be?   
      
   Cliff Mass: In those areas, we could have gusts up to 60 to 80 mph.   
   There could be power outages. This is something we get once in a while,   
   the cold downslope wind storms. Enumclaw is very famous for it, and it   
   looks like we will have one of those again on Tuesday.   
      
   Charlie Harger: And this is a direct result of the cyclone on the coast?   
      
   Cliff Mass: That’s right. It’s created by this kind of phenomenon, a big   
   difference in pressure across the Cascades with an intense low offshore.   
      
   Charlie Harger: How often does this sort of thing happen? And by that, I   
   guess that would be two questions because of the cyclone in the Pacific   
   and also these downslope wind storms.   
      
   Cliff Mass: We do get lows off the coast, but this is going to be an   
   extraordinary one. This is going to be one of the strongest in probably   
   a decade or so offshore. It’s revving up very quickly, unusually so.   
   It’s happened before, but this is an unusual event. For downslope wind   
   storms, we get strong winds here every three to five years, a really   
   strong one every 10 or 20. This one is potentially on the strong side,   
   but we’ll have to watch it.   
      
   Charlie Harger: OK, so this will be almost an hour-by-hour situation?   
      
   Cliff Mass: Yeah. The models are very good, and especially as we get   
   into Tuesday morning, we should know what will happen.   
      
   Charlie Harger: So, your word of advice might be to start preparing now,   
   especially if you’re in the foothills or any of the areas you’ve   
   mentioned. Maybe start prepping for potential power outages?   
      
   Cliff Mass: That’s right. There’s an extremely good chance of power   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
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