Will there be a tornado in western Washington? NWS warns of severe storm threats
A strong storm is expected to reach western Washington in the afternoon of March 26 and bring with it the possibility of widespread and severe thunderstorms, the National Weather Service said.
Showers and thunderstorms were expected to start over western Oregon around 1 p.m. and then move into western Washington, arriving in the Seattle metropolitan area between 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Among the potential threats are large hail up to 2 inches in diameter, damaging wind up to 58 miles per hour, and "to a lesser extent" brief tornadoes, the NWS said.
Here is more on Washington state's tornado history and what to do during a tornado:
There is a "slight risk" of severe thunderstorms from the Seattle and Tacoma areas south to Olympia and the northern Oregon border in the late afternoon and into the evening of March 26, the NWS said in an X post.
Severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes, and the NWS said it was "concerned" about the possibility of an "isolated" tornado.
Isolated tornadoes are tornadoes that are not part of an outbreak of tornadoes, according to a 2018 paper posted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The last reported tornado in Washington state occurred on Oct. 28, 2024, in Longview, according to NOAA. It had an EF0 rating, the weakest on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with three-second gusts from 65 to 85 miles per hour.
Tornadoes in Washington state are relatively rare. According to the Washington Emergency Management Division, the state averages two to three per year, mainly occurring in April, May, and June.
From 1954 through 2024, 138 tornadoes were reported in Washington, according to NOAA's storm events database.
The last tornado in the Seattle area occurred on Dec. 18, 2018, in Port Orchard, according to NOAA. It had a rating of EF-2, with gusts from 111 to 135 miles per hour.
More than 300 homes and businesses were damaged, according to NOAA. Trees fell on houses, and building roofs were ripped off, the Kitsap Sun reported at the time.
People should avoid buildings with large free-span roofs and stay away from exterior walls while finding the lowest level, smallest room, or central part of a building or home, according to the Washington Emergency Management Division.
Here is more tornado guidance from the agency's website:
DUCK
Keep in the shelter until the storm has passed
Down to the lowest level
Under something sturdy
Cover your head
IN HOMES OR SMALL BUILDINGS
Go to the basement – if available – or to an interior room on the lowest floor, such as a closet or bathroom. Upper floors are unsafe. If there is no time to descend, go to a closet, a small room with strong walls, or an inside hallway. Wrap yourself in overcoats or blankets to protect yourself from flying debris.
IN SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, FACTORIES OR SHOPPING CENTERS
Go to interior rooms and halls on the lowest floor. Stay away from glass enclosed places or areas with wide-span roofs such as auditoriums and warehouses. Crouch down and cover your head. Don't take shelter in halls that open to the south or the west. Centrally-located stairwells are good shelter.
IN HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS
Go to interior small rooms or halls. Stay away from exterior walls or areas containing glass.
IN CARS OR MOBILE HOMES
Abandon them immediately! Most deaths occur in cars and mobile homes. If you are in either of those locations, leave them and go to a substantial structure or designated tornado shelter.
IF NO SUITABLE STRUCTURE IS NEARBY
Lie flat in the nearest ditch or depression and use your hands to cover your head. Be alert for flash floods.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Risk of severe thunderstorms, tornado in western Washington, NWS says
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