Cliff Mass at University of Washington is a credible meteorologist, does research on weather prediction and has a blog which includes discussion of the unusual offshore phenomenon this month.
Over west of Port Alberni, the Philippine Mars water bomber was beached for engine work so less vulnerable to winds. It is headed to an established museum in Pima AZ. But after testing at high speed on Sproat Lake Coulson decided to swap one engine with a known good one from Hawaii Mars which is now at BCAM at YYJ, for good.
Indications are that Philippine Mars will overnight in San Francisco Bay then in San Diego before going inland to a lake in AZ from where it will be disassembled and transported on land to the museum. (A former Mars base and main base, respectively.) People hope the Blue Angels will escort it into AZ, if they are at their winter base near SD by then. The Canadian Snowbirds escorted Hawaii Mars around Victoria BC to YYJ, after their performance at the Abbotsford Air Show.
After engine change, high speed taxi testing on the lake, then at least six hours test flying, it can head south.