From Port Angeles to Cape Flattery — live conditions on the Pacific gateway. Wind, waves, and tides where the open Pacific meets the inland sea.
The Strait's nastiest conditions happen when a strong westerly wind opposes the outgoing ebb current — seas steepen fast and become confused. Helm WX shows current wind conditions AND tide state side by side, so you can make an informed go/no-go decision before you leave the dock.
NOAA maintains several data buoys across the Strait — from the east entrance near Port Townsend to the west end at Neah Bay. Helm WX integrates these live feeds so you can see how conditions vary across the full 100-mile length of the waterway.
Check conditions at Port Angeles before fueling. Pull up Neah Bay data from the marina at Sekiu. Helm WX works anywhere you have signal — no download, no account, no subscription. Just the data.
The Strait of Juan de Fuca is the main shipping lane and boating corridor connecting Puget Sound to the Pacific Ocean — a 100-mile long natural channel averaging about 12 miles wide. Every vessel transiting between the inland sea and the open Pacific passes through here. Every vessel headed to or from Victoria, BC passes through here. It is one of the busiest commercial waterways on the West Coast.
Summer afternoons are particularly notorious. Strong westerlies funnel through the Strait — thermal-driven outflow winds build through the day and can hit 20–30 knots by mid-afternoon. Meanwhile, an outgoing ebb current can run 2–3 knots in the opposite direction. Wind against tide creates steep, short-period chop that's uncomfortable at best and dangerous at worst. Conditions that look fine at 0900 can be fully ugly by 1400.
NOAA divides the Strait into three forecasting zones: East — Admiralty Inlet to Port Angeles, Central — Port Angeles to Neah Bay, and West Entrance — Neah Bay to Cape Flattery. Conditions in the west entrance are more exposed and typically rougher than the eastern end. Cape Flattery — the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States — is where the Strait meets the open Pacific.
The Strait is the international boundary between the US and Canada — Victoria, BC sits on the north shore about 15 miles across from Port Angeles. Canadian and US Coast Guard vessels both operate here. Sequim Bay on the south shore offers a sheltered anchorage with significantly calmer conditions than the main Strait. Neah Bay, at the western end, is the last port before the open Pacific.
Real-time wind, waves, swell, and tides for the full Strait of Juan de Fuca — Port Angeles to Cape Flattery. Free, no app needed.
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