Community Environment

Wild weather week includes a wind advisory, possible snow and king tides

Gig Harbor and the rest of Western Washington could be in for a weather double-whammy this week. Maybe even a triple-whammy.

First up is a good, old-fashioned windstorm. The Seattle office of the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for the entire region from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9. The NWS forecasts sustained southwest winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts of up to 45 mph. 

Since that’s not enough, the area could see its first snow of the winter later in the week. 

In anticipation of the upcoming cold temperatures, our partners at Chapel Hill Church will host a warming center during the following times. pic.twitter.com/HsEIHchROn

— Gig Harbor Police (@GigHarborPolice) January 8, 2024

In snow uncertain terms

National Weather Service forecaster Matthew Cullen said that this far out, there is “quite a bit of uncertainty” about whether the region will see lowland snow. But it’s possible. 

As of Monday afternoon, Cullen estimated a 20-30 percent chance of accumulation of an inch of snow on each of Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Jan. 11, 12 and 13). It’s highly unlikely significant snow would accumulate on all three days, but some could stack up on any of them.

“In general, the chance of seeing more than an inch of snow is relatively low,” Cullen said.

Forecasters are more certain that it will be cold. The predicted high temperature for Friday is 27. Lows could dip down to 20.

Given the combination of wind and snow, NWS issued a blizzard warning for the Cascade and Olympic mountains from 4 a.m. Tuesday to 10 a.m. Wednesday. It’s the first blizzard warning issued in the region since 2012.

A round of southerly winds will develop across the area late Monday night. A strong push of west/southwest winds follows on Tuesday. Peak wind gusts will range from 35 to 45 mph around much of the region. Be prepared for isolated power outages and damage to tree branches. #wawx pic.twitter.com/k3rSDnke6B

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) January 8, 2024

King tides coming up

To top it all off, king tides are predicted in the South Sound region Jan. 11 through Jan. 18. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a high tide in Gig Harbor of 13.72 feet on Monday, Jan. 15. Tides will be nearly as high on Tuesday.

Cullen said it’s too soon to tell if the king tides and atmospheric conditions will conspire to lead to  the sort of coastal flooding Gig Harbor experienced in December 2022.

“That is a concern,” he said. “We don’t have any major advisories or warnings for that far out, but it is something we’ll be watching.”

Resources

• Read this story for information about how the city of Gig Harbor prioritizes snow and ice removal on its 115 miles of roadway. Learn more about Pierce County’s plan here.
• Chapel Hill Church, 7700 Skansie Ave. In Gig Harbor, will open a warming shelter from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday; and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. People who need shelter outside those hours should call 253-405-2829.