Forecasters had been monitoring the potential for strong to locally damaging gusts as the system approached ahead of Christmas Eve.
SEATTLE — A Wind Advisory for western Washington was canceled Wednesday after a storm system failed to intensify as originally forecast, reducing the risk of damaging winds across the region.
Forecasters had been monitoring the potential for strong to locally damaging gusts as the system approached ahead of Christmas Eve. However, the system tracked farther inland than expected, limiting its ability to strengthen and significantly reducing wind impacts.
Wind gusts peaked during the morning hours, with the strongest reported gust reaching 44 mph in Tacoma. Gusts around 30 mph were recorded in Seattle and nearby communities. Sustained winds remained generally between 10 and 20 mph through the afternoon, well below advisory criteria.
Because the storm’s center moved inland rather than remaining offshore, the pressure needed to produce stronger winds did not develop. As a result, the threat of widespread power outages and damage diminished throughout the day.
No wind alerts are in effect Wednesday afternoon, and conditions continued to improve heading into the evening.
Showers were primarily focused across northern parts of the region, including areas near the Canadian border, while portions of the central Puget Sound experienced dry breaks and occasional sunshine. Temperatures climbed into the upper 40s, aided by southerly flow ahead of the system.
Looking ahead, winds are expected to remain light overnight. Christmas Day will bring scattered showers, mainly during the afternoon and evening, along with mountain snow. Another weather system on Friday may produce breezy conditions, but winds are forecast to stay within typical seasonal ranges.
High pressure is expected to build over the weekend, bringing drier weather and a quieter pattern across western Washington into early next week.
Meteorologist Adam Claibon contributed the information for this report.
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