Seattle severe thunderstorm - head for the hills!

Recorded on July 12, 2009 - I think we had maybe ten flashes of lightning and a handful of good rumbles of thunder, none of which I got on tape.

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[rpt1700]

Yeah I know, I lived in the Midwest for 33 years. I'm being a little sarcastic. :-)

[nostalgiamelancolia1]

Thunderstorms are rare in Seattle,but it takes place.lived in SEATTLE for 5 years.

[jaycamp7]

I remember one actual EFO tornado in the foothills that destroyed a barn, and talk of a funnel cloud in downtown that picked some child up on a playground (West Seattle maybe?). Though I've been told there have been a few unusual thunderstorms in the Pacific NW this winter including a squall line (which I'd never seen up there before and wish I could have been there for).

I do remember the windstorms though, especially the cascade foothills and their 120mph gusts. ;)

[salvadory]

@jaycamp7 well im a spotter for the NWS here in seattle- while i agree in general with your points- there have been numerous reports through the years including 5-6 funnel clouds reported the past 2 years- one near queen anne hill- 3 off west seattle and a few near bothell and woodinville just north of downtown- enumclaw to the east had two confirmed efo ef1 tornadoes back to back in 2009 and 2010- im in north bend last night we had a 72 mph gust - it roared like a jetsee my vid i posted today

[jaycamp7]

@salvadory I lived in Seattle for 26 years, I saw maybe 5 thunderstorms total, and none of them are ever strong enough to rotate. Storms in the pacific northwest are very unorganized and are basically rain showers with just enough lift to spawn a handful of lightning strikes.

I live in Wichita, KS now, last spring/summer, we had 3 total storms that rotated, and only one spawned tornadoes (7 EF-0's). I do prefer Seattle summer's though, LOL.

[salvadory]

@jaycamp7 actually seattle gets a few a year on average including funnel clouds- last year 2 tornadoes touched down 40 miles east of seattle- by the way we get winds in excess of 57 mph(non thunderstorm ofcourse) atleast a 8-10 times during the winter and early spring- and rotating thunderstorms

[jaycamp7]

Seattle doesn't get severe thunderstorms. For a storm to be considerered "severe" it must contain either 1/4 inch hail, winds in excess of 57mph, or rotation, which spawns tornadoes.