161 FXUS66 KSEW 020339 AFDSEW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Seattle WA 740 PM PST Fri Jan 1 2021 .SYNOPSIS...A front moved through Western Washington this evening. A strong frontal system will arrive Saturday and move inland late Saturday night. Another weather system will arrive Monday and yet another front will arrive around the middle of next week. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...A front moved through Western Washington earlier this evening. The wind advisory ended at 7pm and the weather will settle down briefly overnight before the next strong front arrives. Saturday will bring more rain, wind, and high surf. Several inches of rain are likely to fall in the mountains, with the heavier rain in the afternoon and evening--and mainly in the evening for the lowlands. Rivers will rise and a flood Watch is in effect. Winds will be strongest along the coast where gusts to 60 mph are possible. Interior winds will be blustery too, especially in the north interior and near the sound with gusts to 45-50 mph. High surf will reach the beaches and that advisory is from 10 AM Saturday to 4 PM Sunday. On Sunday we'll see a short break in the action although rivers will still be running high and seas still around 15-20 ft. Then more wet weather will return Sunday night and Monday with yet another weather system. 19 .LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...Long wave troughing over the West will keep the weather pattern active through the long term period. Expect more rain and mountain snow through the upcoming week with very little breaks in between systems. Temperatures throughout will trend close to seasonal normals. 33 && .AVIATION...MVFR cigs through tonight with VFR possible at times late tonight into Saturday. Another round of rain, heavy at times, Saturday for lowered visibilities. Southerly winds 8 to 14 knots tonight with gusts to 25 knots. Stronger southerly winds on Saturday with gusts 30-35 knots possible, mainly along the coast and northern areas. KSEA...MVFR cigs through most of the evening and overnight hours. MVFR cigs tonight likely to persist into Saturday morning with rain continuing throughout the day. Rain may be heavy at times and reduce visibilities at the terminal. South winds 8 to 14 knots, increasing into Saturday with gusts between 25 to 30 knots possible. Kristell && .MARINE...Active weather through much of next week as a series of strong frontal systems move through the area. Small Craft Advisory winds for the waters tonight. A stronger front will move through on Saturday with gales for most waters. High end gales expected for the coastal waters, especially late afternoon and evening along the southern tier of the area. Seas rising to 20 to 25 feet with this system and continuing to remain 15 to 20 feet through Monday. Severe bar conditions at Grays Harbor Bar continuing for most of the next week. Confidence remains high that a very active period with additional periods of gale force winds (or higher) affecting a large swath of the area waters into much of next week with the continuation of rough coastal waters of 15 to 20 feet. Kristell/JD $$ .HYDROLOGY...Flooding continues on the Skokomish River in Mason County today. Elsewhere, widespread minor to moderate river flooding is possible this weekend weekend, as another round of heavy rain will move across the region. Total rain amounts of 1 to 3 inches for the lowlands and 4 to 8 inches in the mountains are expected through the weekend. Snow levels will rise to around 6000 feet, lowering closer to 4,000 feet at times, which may be a limiting factor in rises on some area rivers. In addition, high rainfall rates Saturday afternoon and evening could also lead to localized urban and small stream flooding issues. Soil moisture is also high, so this additional rain could cause some landslides. Cullen && .SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...Flood Watch from Saturday morning through late Sunday night for Admiralty Inlet Area-Bellevue and Vicinity-Bremerton and Vicinity-Cascades of Pierce and Lewis Counties-Cascades of Snohomish and King Counties-Cascades of Whatcom and Skagit Counties-Central Coast-East Puget Sound Lowlands-Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca-Everett and Vicinity-Hood Canal Area- Lower Chehalis Valley Area-North Coast-Olympics-San Juan County-Seattle and Vicinity-Southwest Interior-Tacoma Area- Western Skagit County-Western Strait of Juan De Fuca- Western Whatcom County. High Wind Watch from Saturday morning through Saturday evening for Central Coast-North Coast. PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 4 AM PST Sunday for Grays Harbor Bar. Storm Watch from Saturday morning through late Saturday night 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. Small Craft Advisory from 6 PM this evening to 7 AM PST Saturday 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. Gale Warning 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. Gale Watch from Saturday morning through Saturday evening for Admiralty Inlet-East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca. Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM PST Saturday for East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-Northern Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands. Gale Warning until 4 PM PST this afternoon for East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-Northern Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands. Gale Watch from Saturday morning through late Saturday night for Northern Inland Waters Including The San Juan Islands-Puget Sound and Hood Canal. Gale Watch from 2 AM PST Saturday through Saturday afternoon for West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca. Small Craft Advisory until 2 AM PST Saturday for West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca. Gale Watch from Saturday afternoon through late Saturday night for Central U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca. Small Craft Advisory until 4 PM PST this afternoon for Central U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca. Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM PST Saturday for Admiralty Inlet. Gale Warning until 3 PM PST this afternoon for Admiralty Inlet. Small Craft Advisory until 10 AM PST Saturday for Puget Sound and Hood Canal. && $$ www.weather.gov/seattle