08/31/2026
Should be a mildly interesting week!
PNW EARLY-SEASON WIND RISK WEDNESDAY💨🌲🌧️🍂a strong-for-early-September storm system will move into the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday, bringing widespread rain along with increasingly gusty winds! Across western Washington, western Oregon and northwestern California, the strongest winds are currently favored along the coast and in Washington, the Northwest Interior as a cold front approaches and eventually moves through Wednesday into Wednesday night. Although wind alerts may not be issued, this system could still produce more impacts than the numbers alone would suggest. One important factor is that the trees still have their full summer foliage. Leaves significantly increase the surface area exposed to the wind, putting additional stress on branches and entire trees. Combine that with trees already stressed or weakened following a dry summer, and it may take less wind than during a typical late-fall or winter storm to cause problems. As a result, isolated power outages and some downed or broken tree branches will be possible Wednesday, particularly where the strongest gusts occur. A few weakened tree branches could also come down. There remains uncertainty regarding the exact track and strength of the system, which will ultimately determine how strong the winds become. Right now, this does not look like a major Pacific Northwest windstorm, but it is an early-season system worth watching closely because of the increased vulnerability of fully leafed and drought-stressed trees. Rain, gusty winds and much cooler temperatures will make Wednesday feel much more like fall across the region💨🌲🌧️🍂