The calm in the storm
20/11/24 01:38
Several times yesterday I looked at radar and satellite imagery from the National Weather Service. The images and the forecasts have been ominous. A very large storm is slamming into the Pacific Northwest with high winds and an atmospheric river of precipitation. The storm has been dubbed a “bomb cyclone.” Wind gusts of up to 65 mph will be seen in parts of the state, with most of the state seeing winds in the 30 to 45 mph range. the National Weather Service warning of the storm included: “An anomalously strong storm system will generate strong winds across western Washington . . . Be sure to secure loose outdoor items, stay clear of trees and downed power lines, and prepare for power outages.”
Maps and charts showing areas of winds above 40 mph, brightly colored with orange, red, magenta, purple and pink accompanied the forecasts along with a gale warning for East winds of 30 to 40 knots (35 0 46 mph). “It is highly recommended that mariners without the proper experience seek safe harbor prior to the onset of gale conditions.
Forecasters are calling for heavy snowfall with high winds in the mountains making travel impossible at times.
It all sounds very dramatic - until you look at the specific conditions and forecast for where we live. To understand our local conditions it helps to have a map to see all of the islands that are between us and the open ocean. Chief among those islands is Vancouver, with over 12,000 square miles. That’s about the size of the Country of Taiwan. It is bigger than several northeastern states. And between us and Vancouver, in the Salish Sea, the San Juan Islands consist of over 450 islands, rocks, and pinnacles. There are 172 named islands on the US side of the International border.
So here is what is happening where we live, in the middle of the bomb cyclone: The temperature is currently 42 with a predicted high of 51 for today. The wind is blowing at about 9 mph with occasional gusts of 12 mph or so. That is all the wind we are expected to see today. There are a few raindrops falling with a total accumulation of perhaps .06 inches of accumulation. It’s not exactly what I would call a storm.
We have been rushing around the last couple of days trying to button up some outside chores. I blew out the drip irrigation system for our raised beds as we won’t need to be watering for a few months and it will freeze some over the winter. We transplanted strawberry plants and planted some bulbs. I cleaned out the tomato vines and sunflower stalks and raked beds to prepare for next spring’s activities. I didn’t get the patio umbrella inside, but it is stowed and tied up outside and I’ll get that inside later this morning. I’ve got a few additional outside chores to complete and, frankly, I don’t see anything in the forecast that will prevent me from working outside every day this week.
And, on the mountain, the Mount Baker Ski Area has announced that it will open to season pass holders today, with much better opening conditions than last year. It doesn’t sound like folk are going to hunker down and stay inside for the storm.
As far as cyclones go, it doesn’t seem too dramatic.
For tens of thousands of years the Lummi people and other Coast Salish folk knew about the shelter from storms afforded by the islands and the safe living space alongside our little bay. Even major events, such as king tides that slosh around the Puget Sound and north into the Salish Sea cause very little coastal flooding. The Nooksack and Fraser Rivers do flood occasionally and folk learned not to settle too close to the banks in some places, but this region was seen as a safe place to live. The wisdom of the indigenous people of our region is that the gentle climate we enjoy has been part of this region for a long time.
The reality is that the coming storm of national politics is likely to be more devastating than the weather. The goal of the incoming administration and legislative majority is disruption. The list of proposed appointments includes candidates that would never have been confirmed in previous administrations. Those with little or no expertise and experience, others under investigation for ethics violations and crimes including rape are being promised that their pasts will be overlooked in a rush to consolidate power, seek revenge, and impose the harshest restrictions on individual liberty and freedom in the history of our nation.
Like the weather, however, we are sitting in a protected location when it comes to politics. Voters in our state have once again demonstrated a significant divergence from the flow of national politics. If you paint the map with red and blue, we live deep in blue territory. While the president elect of the nation has made no secret of his desire to rule as an unopposed autocrat, the governor elect of our state defeated his Republican opponent despite a conservative activist who recruited multiple people named Bob Ferguson to file paperwork to appear on the primary ballot creating confusion over the Attorney General with the same name who eventually won the race for the position opened by the retirement of Governor Jay Inslee.
We certainly are not immune to the results of the national election, but voters in our region have fended off some of the more dramatic attempts to repeal laws that protect the environment. On a statewide level the 2024 election yielded a victory for environmental protection while on the federal level, the environment seems headed for a big hit. The upcoming presidential term coincides with increased global warming. Deadly floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires are already here and the time to limit the severity of the destruction is running out. The second Trump administration will increase greenhouse gas emissions and dismantle federal protections for air, water, wildlife and environment as well as disrupt health and safety for workers.
In the face of the coming storm, we can throw up our hands and resign ourselves to catastrophe, or we can channel our energy and resources into local action. Despite coming national chaos, those of us who live in this sheltered part of the world can continue to work for our local waters and invest in natural climate solutions that build climate resilience. We can turn to small local businesses and neighbors to reuse, repurpose, and repair the goods and materials we need. We can stand firm in upholding and defending Tribal treaty rights and follow the leadership of our Indigenous neighbors. We can continue to condemn racist, anti-trans, misogynist and anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions that endanger members of our community. Perhaps we can create a safe haven in the midst of the storm that provides shelter for some of those at risk.
Maps and charts showing areas of winds above 40 mph, brightly colored with orange, red, magenta, purple and pink accompanied the forecasts along with a gale warning for East winds of 30 to 40 knots (35 0 46 mph). “It is highly recommended that mariners without the proper experience seek safe harbor prior to the onset of gale conditions.
Forecasters are calling for heavy snowfall with high winds in the mountains making travel impossible at times.
It all sounds very dramatic - until you look at the specific conditions and forecast for where we live. To understand our local conditions it helps to have a map to see all of the islands that are between us and the open ocean. Chief among those islands is Vancouver, with over 12,000 square miles. That’s about the size of the Country of Taiwan. It is bigger than several northeastern states. And between us and Vancouver, in the Salish Sea, the San Juan Islands consist of over 450 islands, rocks, and pinnacles. There are 172 named islands on the US side of the International border.
So here is what is happening where we live, in the middle of the bomb cyclone: The temperature is currently 42 with a predicted high of 51 for today. The wind is blowing at about 9 mph with occasional gusts of 12 mph or so. That is all the wind we are expected to see today. There are a few raindrops falling with a total accumulation of perhaps .06 inches of accumulation. It’s not exactly what I would call a storm.
We have been rushing around the last couple of days trying to button up some outside chores. I blew out the drip irrigation system for our raised beds as we won’t need to be watering for a few months and it will freeze some over the winter. We transplanted strawberry plants and planted some bulbs. I cleaned out the tomato vines and sunflower stalks and raked beds to prepare for next spring’s activities. I didn’t get the patio umbrella inside, but it is stowed and tied up outside and I’ll get that inside later this morning. I’ve got a few additional outside chores to complete and, frankly, I don’t see anything in the forecast that will prevent me from working outside every day this week.
And, on the mountain, the Mount Baker Ski Area has announced that it will open to season pass holders today, with much better opening conditions than last year. It doesn’t sound like folk are going to hunker down and stay inside for the storm.
As far as cyclones go, it doesn’t seem too dramatic.
For tens of thousands of years the Lummi people and other Coast Salish folk knew about the shelter from storms afforded by the islands and the safe living space alongside our little bay. Even major events, such as king tides that slosh around the Puget Sound and north into the Salish Sea cause very little coastal flooding. The Nooksack and Fraser Rivers do flood occasionally and folk learned not to settle too close to the banks in some places, but this region was seen as a safe place to live. The wisdom of the indigenous people of our region is that the gentle climate we enjoy has been part of this region for a long time.
The reality is that the coming storm of national politics is likely to be more devastating than the weather. The goal of the incoming administration and legislative majority is disruption. The list of proposed appointments includes candidates that would never have been confirmed in previous administrations. Those with little or no expertise and experience, others under investigation for ethics violations and crimes including rape are being promised that their pasts will be overlooked in a rush to consolidate power, seek revenge, and impose the harshest restrictions on individual liberty and freedom in the history of our nation.
Like the weather, however, we are sitting in a protected location when it comes to politics. Voters in our state have once again demonstrated a significant divergence from the flow of national politics. If you paint the map with red and blue, we live deep in blue territory. While the president elect of the nation has made no secret of his desire to rule as an unopposed autocrat, the governor elect of our state defeated his Republican opponent despite a conservative activist who recruited multiple people named Bob Ferguson to file paperwork to appear on the primary ballot creating confusion over the Attorney General with the same name who eventually won the race for the position opened by the retirement of Governor Jay Inslee.
We certainly are not immune to the results of the national election, but voters in our region have fended off some of the more dramatic attempts to repeal laws that protect the environment. On a statewide level the 2024 election yielded a victory for environmental protection while on the federal level, the environment seems headed for a big hit. The upcoming presidential term coincides with increased global warming. Deadly floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires are already here and the time to limit the severity of the destruction is running out. The second Trump administration will increase greenhouse gas emissions and dismantle federal protections for air, water, wildlife and environment as well as disrupt health and safety for workers.
In the face of the coming storm, we can throw up our hands and resign ourselves to catastrophe, or we can channel our energy and resources into local action. Despite coming national chaos, those of us who live in this sheltered part of the world can continue to work for our local waters and invest in natural climate solutions that build climate resilience. We can turn to small local businesses and neighbors to reuse, repurpose, and repair the goods and materials we need. We can stand firm in upholding and defending Tribal treaty rights and follow the leadership of our Indigenous neighbors. We can continue to condemn racist, anti-trans, misogynist and anti-immigrant rhetoric and actions that endanger members of our community. Perhaps we can create a safe haven in the midst of the storm that provides shelter for some of those at risk.
