Fraser River and Georgia Basin: Tidal currents in Georgia Basin across the mouth of the Fraser River show the influence of river flow. The orientation of the Fraser River distributaries is to the northwest, but the surface exchange flow direction is primarily to the southeast. A clockwise circulation pattern is known to be present in this region and may be faintly visible as an eddy feature in this two-day animation.

Admiralty Inlet and Whidbey Basin: Admiralty Inlet is the primary entrance to Puget Sound that allows tidal currents and exchange to occur over the relatively shallow Admiralty Inlet sill. Tidal currents over the sill are strong ≈ 2.0-2.5 m/s (4-5 Knots). Tidal currents in the Whidbey Basin to the east and Central Puget Sound to the south drop to relatively calm 0.25-0.5 m/s (0.5-1.0 Knots). Strong currents also occur through Deception Pass connection from the north end of Whidbey Basin (Skagit Bay) to the Strait of Juan De Fuca.

Surface velocity vectors (m/s) and contours shown are from the surface layer of the model and are based on daily forecast solutions generated by the NOS implementation of the SSCOFS. NOS runs 4 forecast cycles each day. The animation presented here was generated from the 2nd cycle (9-HR GMT) using solutions downloaded from the NOAA THREDDS developmental catalog.

San Juan Islands: Some of the most complex currents and circulation patterns occur as tides propagate past the San Juan Islands. Haro Strait to the west of San Juan Islands supports the largest flow connecting the Strait of Juan De Fuca to Georgia Strait in Canadian waters. Similarly, Rosario Strait west of San Juan Islands in the U.S. waters provides the passage past Bellingham Bay and the Cherry Point coastline to Canadian waters of Georgia Strait.