Marine Weather and Tide Forecast for Westport, WA

SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH MONDAY/
The main focus this early morning is with two PSCZs...one stretching southeastward from southwester Whatcom county down into northeaster Snohomish county and the other stretching from Port Angeles into east central King county. The combination of these two bands of precip are keeping snow showers active over the Cascades. Latest radar trends do not really indicate much of a slowing down, so will opt to extend current Winter Weather Advisory for the Cascades for another 6 hours to cover this continuing activity. As for mixed precip, lowland locations in the path of precip associated with these PCSZs may find some scattered flakes mixed in with showers, however no significant accumulations are expected. Looking elsewhere in the CWA, there are some lingering post-frontal showers over southwestern portions of the area, but temperatures there remain mostly warm enough to keep anything that falls as liquid.

Models remain consistent drying things out over W WA as upper level ridging starts to build into the area. A weak impulse along the leading edge of this feature could allow for a slight chance for precip this evening and early tonight...and temps could be just low enough to allow perhaps some flakes mixed in with any showers that develop. Otherwise, the main risk tonight and for the remainder of the short term will be overnight fog development and low temps generally in the lower 30s. Guidance suggests the best chances for near or slightly below freezing temps being tonight with slightly warmer temps expected Sunday night and Monday night...turning the tables in favor or near to slightly above freezing temps. Any areas still recovering from recent floods that may not have re-insulated plumbing and such may need to take measures against these colder temps. While this is more of an isolated concerns for much of the CWA, the prospect of some east to northeasterly winds, perhaps with some Fraser influence, poses an increased risk of overnight lows tonight getting into the upper 20s. Will need to continue to monitor conditions to see if further cold weather headlines will be needed up that way.

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LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/
Models start to flatten out the ridge as the ridge axis moves further eastward Tuesday night. If anything, the switch to more southwesterly flow aloft will partner with onshore flow to help give overnight lows a nudge upward into the mid to upper 30s by mid-week.
Deterministic models have shifted away from bringing the next frontal system into the area Wednesday, opting instead to delay this feature until late Thursday night/early Friday. Ensembles, however, remain consistent with their solutions, opting to bring this feature in late Wednesday afternoon/early Wednesday evening. Once the front enters the area, however, W WA will return to a more active pattern as a series of features pass through the area at the end of next week and into the new year.

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AVIATION
Upper level trough east of the area early this morning with northwesterly flow aloft. Weak system embedded in the flow aloft moving over the area tonight. Upper level ridge building along the coast Sunday. In the lower levels light onshore flow with weak Fraser river outflow over Whatcom county this morning. Low level flow becoming northerly all areas this afternoon and evening.
Convergence zone near KPAE dissipating 12z-15z.

Real mixed bag this morning with multiple scattered to broken layers between 2000 and 6000 feet. 2000 foot deck dissipating midday with VFR conditions this afternoon into tonight. Patchy fog developing over the Southwest Interior and Kitsap Peninsula Sunday morning.

KSEA.. MVFR ceilings at times this morning with VFR conditions this afternoon into Sunday morning. Patchy fog/low stratus in the vicinity of the terminal 13z-18z Sunday. Southerly wind 4 to 8 knots becoming northerly around 19z. Felton

MARINE
High pressure will build over the waters today and remain situated across the area through early next week. The ridge will weaken Wednesday as a front approaches the area.

Small craft advisory winds over the coastal waters will ease later this afternoon. Small craft advisory winds also over the Northern Inland Waters with weak Fraser river outflow easing as well later this afternoon.

Seas in the 10 to 13 foot range today subsiding under 10 feet tonight. Seas remaining 6 to 9 feet later tonight into the first part of next week.

Light winds Sunday through Tuesday for possible dense fog formation in the late night and early morning hours. Felton

HYDROLOGY
No river flooding in the next 7 days.

SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES
WA...Winter Weather Advisory until 10 AM PST this morning for Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties-Cascades of Snohomish and Northern King Counties-Cascades of Southern King County-Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties.

Cold Weather Advisory until noon PST today for Lowlands of Western Whatcom County.

PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM PST this evening for Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island 10 To 60 Nm- Coastal Waters From Cape Flattery To James Island Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From James Island To Point Grenville Out 10 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater 10 To 60 Nm-Coastal Waters From Point Grenville To Cape Shoalwater Out 10 Nm-Grays Harbor Bar.

Small Craft Advisory until 2 PM PST this afternoon for Northern Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands.