10 PM Update

This event is far from over, but it is clear is won't disappoint active weather lovers.  As I write this, it is thundering and lightning outside and moderate rain is falling.  Heaven.

There has been massive amounts of lightning during the past six hours, literally thousands of strikes throughout the Northwest.  Here is a sample of lightning strikes for the 1/2 hrs ending at 9 PM and 4 PM today (Thursday).  Massive amounts for our region.

And take a look at the 12h rainfall totals ending at 10 PM (graphic).  1-2 inches in the southern Cascades and 1.61 inch in Shelton, where an intense thunderstorm hit earlier today.  The Willamette Valley, hit by strong thunderstorms, had several locations with 1-2 inches.  Much more is coming.

The 10 PM radar shows a massive shield of heavy rain (yellow and reds)

It is going to be a wet night.  Some urban flooding and power outages have already occurred over SW Washington.   The models have done extraordinarily well for this event...in a future blog I will tell you why I think this is so.