Tornado Warning Issued for Pacific and Grays Harbor Counties Amid Severe Storm

The Pacific Northwest faced a severe weather alert as a ‘bomb cyclone’ approached, prompting the National Weather Service (NWS) in Portland to issue a Tornado Warning for Pacific County on Wednesday afternoon. At 4:07 p.m., meteorologists reported that doppler radar detected a storm system capable of generating a waterspout with the potential to become tornadic once it reaches land. The storm was noted to be about seven miles southwest of Tokeland, moving northeast at a speed of 25 mph.

Simultaneously, meteorologists in Seattle extended a similar warning for Grays Harbor County as video footage circulated on social media showing a waterspout approaching Tokeland, Washington. A trained weather spotter confirmed the waterspout’s proximity to land, raising concerns of a potential tornado impact. However, the threat dissipated by approximately 4:45 p.m. as the chances of the tornado abated.

NWS officials in Portland highlighted that the storm has a history of producing waterspouts, despite there being no reported damage as of the latest updates. Residents have been urged to remain vigilant as forecasts continue to monitor the storm’s progress.