Significant heat wave headed for the Pacific Northwest
On average, the last week in July is the warmest and driest week of the year over much of the PNW. In 2022, it is poised to bring the hottest temperatures to much of the region since the historic heat wave of June 2021. Our global weather models, a true triumph of modern technology, have
One of the coldest springs on record in the PNW
Meteorological spring (March-April-May) has come to an end, and it will go down as one of the coldest springs on record in Washington State. It also snaps a 10 year streak of springs falling in to the near-normal or above-normal category. A top-5 coldest spring in many locations Overall, spring 2022 was the 4th coldest
Western US drought persists, water shortages intensify as the end of rainy season approaches
April 1 is traditionally considered the milestone date for evaluating winter rainfall and snowpack across the western US. Unfortunately, the winter of 2021-22 did little to relieve the drought that was already widespread across the western US prior to rainy season. The latest US drought monitor continues to show severe drought conditions (D2-D4) across 75%
Late February cold snap brings snow, record low temperatures
A few weeks ago, it looked like cold and snow may have been finished for the winter, but longer range models held out a bit of hope for one last wintery period around the final week of February. Those projections turned out to be correct, as the PNW is currently experiencing a brief but potent
West coast ridging turns February into a spring month
Who flipped the switch? Just a few weeks ago, the winter of 2021-22 was wet, cold, and stormy in the PNW. The ridging that began in mid-January looked like a brief reprieve prior to the inevitable return to the chilly and wet weather that La Niña winters are often known for. The switch has yet
Why did most weather models incorrectly predict snow in Seattle on Sunday night?
The cold and snowy period came to an end for most, but not all of the western Washington lowlands on Sunday as a strong frontal system delivered heavy rainfall along with snow in a few spots. The areas receiving snow were many of the usual favored spots for marginal lowland snow events including parts of
Predicting snowfall amounts and minimum temperatures for the upcoming cold wave
As has been widely reported, a potent cold snap is descending on the PNW. As of this writing on Friday afternoon (Christmas Eve), cold, arctic air is already beginning to move into Whatcom County through the Fraser Valley. By Christmas (Saturday) evening into Sunday the cold air will spill across much of western Washington and
Sub-freezing temperatures, lowland snow headed to the PNW between Christmas and New Year
The first half of December has brought chilly weather to the Seattle area, but temperatures have remained above freezing with a few close calls for snowflakes resulting in all rain. Over the last week, the promise of colder weather and a white Christmas has been hinted at in the extended forecast, with considerable uncertainty. In
Will it snow in the Seattle area on Monday morning?
Weather models have been hinting at a lowland snow event for the last few days and we finally have some clarity on what is likely to happen on Monday morning. The short answer is that it’s about 50/50 right now for seeing snowflakes in Seattle proper, with minimal accumulation expected. Models continue to show a
Where is winter?
December 1 marks the start of meteorological winter. While the change to wintery weather does not always align with the start of December on the calendar, the PNW usually shifts to consistently lower snow levels and cooler temperatures late November to early December. So when will that shift occur? First, a quick look at where
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