December 2015 in the Pacific Northwest

[HighlandExperience]

150 inches here in 2007-08. And over 100 inches in a couple other years. Still enjoy seeing snow. Maybe because we also have years with almost nothing.

Snow is probably more enjoyable when it's feast and famine.

[snow_wizard]

What was it like living where it snowed that much?

 

Obviously you wouldn't obsess over every chance of a flurry, but did you still get really excited about the 1-3" events or did it all just start to turn to white noise?

 

I liked it all.  I was in a situation where I didn't have to worry about commuting in it and all of that though.  That was a good winter over there and snow was on the ground for probably 3 straight months.  The neighbor had a snowmobile which greatly added to the fun.  I do recall the normal two or three inch snowfalls got pretty routine, but the ones over 4 inches were always pretty exciting. 

[TT-SEA]

22 degrees at the pass... when there is offshore flow and its that cold at the pass it all works out here.    Throw moisture over that and its all good.

 

The line is clearly at I-90 and Hwy 18 tonight... Tiger Mountain is not even close to what is happening here.   

 

Closing in on 6 inches today with moderate snow continuing.   Should be about over though.

[snow_wizard]

I understand the frustration but it isn't like PDX got much of a real snow event today. As Mark Nelsen says, it is a "conversational" snow event. Most of us saw some snow fall but have nothing on the ground, only some higher elevation areas got anything. I don't think I've had an actual snow event since 2/14.

 

We missed out on Dec 2013 and Feb 2014 which really ruined this decade for this area so far.

[Deweydog]

I hate break up the festival de melancholy but Tuesday on the Canadian is, yeah......................... pretty dry.

[Perturbed Member]

In physics, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that we can't know both the momentum and position of a particle simultaneously, you get one but not the other. We should consider proposing a similar principle for cold air and moisture for PDX. The 00z WRF makes a good case:

 

Look at this beautiful sounding Tuesday night, it is more than cold enough across the entire column, just perfect.

 

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/mm5rt/data/current_gfs/images_d3/xkpdx.60.0000.snd.gif.pagespeed.ic.sfvxy32TY7.png

 

 

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/mm5rt/data/2015122800/images_d3/slp.60.0000.gif

 

Of course the low dives way too far south and gives nothing

 

http://www.atmos.washington.edu/mm5rt/data/2015122800/images_d3/or_pcp3.54.0000.gif

 

 

Plenty of time for things to change still of course. The climate here really tests your patience sometimes.

 

I'm extremely curious to see where the Euro takes this low.

[FroYoBro]

I am actually feeling hope for Tuesday after seeing the latest gfs. Lows like to throw more moisture north than modeled sometimes in these cases. I would rather be cold and dry than have sw winds too, 

[Perturbed Member]

We missed out on Dec 2013 and Feb 2014 which really ruined this decade for this area so far.

 

When was the last time you had a proper snow event?

[snow_wizard]

When was the last time you had a proper snow event?

 

Jan 2012.  We did have a little bit in late Nov last year.

[snow_wizard]

I will say the 0z GFS is pretty entertaining.  A lot of weird details and pretty darn cold for us overall.

[Perturbed Member]

Jan 2012.  We did have a little bit in late Nov last year.

 

Pretty bad. We went through a similar snow drought here after December 2009, didn't have much for a few years I believe. I hope you you get something this time around for your own sanity and to restore some faith in our climate though I'm not sure anyone should have any faith in this climate.

[Deweydog]

Pretty bad. We went through a similar snow drought here after December 2009, didn't have much for a few years I believe. I hope you you get something this time around for your own sanity and to restore some faith in our climate though I'm not sure anyone should have any faith in this climate.

We essentially went from December 2008 to February 2014 without a significant snow that lasted more than a few hours.

[snow_wizard]

As usual the WRF is clueless in dealing with the low level cold snap we will have this week.  It shows a small area in the Puget Sound area hitting the low 50s later in the week.  Good luck with that!

[Phil]

Snow is probably more enjoyable when it's feast and famine.

I really disagree with that. The feast-or-famine nature of snowfall over here is driving me insane. Waiting until February most of the time sucks, too.

[TT-SEA]

I really disagree with that. The feast-or-famine nature of snowfall over here is driving me insane. Waiting until February 90% of the time sucks, too.

 

 

Yes... but then when it comes its more sweet.

[snow_wizard]

We essentially went from December 2008 to February 2014 before the area had a significant snow that lasted more than a few hours.

 

At least we did have a nice event in Nov 2010, a pretty long lasting but messy event in Jan 2012, and then a pretty good snow in late Feb 2011.  It would sure be nice to see Seattle and Portland both do well for once.

[seattleweatherguy]

Precip gone? 34 with a dp of 33 so close

[Phil]

Yes... but then when it comes its more sweet.

From my perspective, it doesn't quite make up for the misery beforehand. We're definitely moving somewhere snowier in the future, probably to Muskegon, MI.

[MikeInEverett]

Precip gone? 34 with a dp of 33 so close

Did you get any snow today? I'm just about 8 miles north of you and I've had steady wet snow since about 5:30 (little accumulation though)

[Front Ranger]

Man, if ever there was a pattern that was so close for so many...I did say about 10 days ago that the upcoming pattern reminded me of 2007-08, and unfortunately it's worked out that way to this point - lots of snow if you live above 1000', lots of wet snow/mix below.

 

Today was a step closer with the Hood Canal seeing their first decent snow in awhile. I really, really hope something works out for more of you this week.

[James Jones]

We missed out on Dec 2013 and Feb 2014 which really ruined this decade for this area so far.

The Portland area mostly missed out in December 2013, we only got a dusting here - it was the southern Valley that really scored with that event. PDX did really well in Feb 2014, of course (I actually happened to be out of town for the entirety of that event which was really a bummer - because of that, I haven't seen a 1"+ snowfall at my house since March 2012) but aside from that, we haven't had it any better than the Puget Sound region this decade. You guys up there did a lot better in Jan 2012, Feb 2011, and Nov 2010 than the Willamette Valley; Portland has officially measured only 15.2" of snow in the 6 winters since '08-'09, which averages to 2.5" per year.

[Front Ranger]

From my perspective, it doesn't quite make up for the misery beforehand. We're definitely moving somewhere snowier in the future, probably to Muskegon, MI.

Muskegon, where all your dreams come true.

[bainbridgekid]

From my perspective, it doesn't quite make up for the misery beforehand. We're definitely moving somewhere snowier in the future, probably to Muskegon, MI.

Weren't you complaining about the brutal cold/snow just a couple Winters ago?

 

This Winter must be agony so far out there though. What was it, like 70 on Christmas Eve?

[seattleweatherguy]

Did you get any snow today? I'm just about 8 miles north of you and I've had steady wet snow since about 5:30 (little accumulation though)

no just cold rain, maybe we had one shower of mix snow and rain. Wow 8 miles makes a huge difference. I am more southern bothell though.

[Phil]

Muskegon, where all your dreams come true.

Lol.

 

FWIW, there are a few vendors that have branches in the area.

[Phil]

Weren't you complaining about the brutal cold/snow just a couple Winters ago?

I was complaining about brutal cold lasting into March without enough snow to compensate for it. Remember, I work outside everyday, so racking up subzero lows as we approached the equinox was irritating and uncomfortable.

 

I don't anticipate that I'll have to worry about cold of that magnitude this year, though.

[snow_wizard]

The Portland area mostly missed out in December 2013, we only got a dusting here - it was the southern Valley that really scored with that event. PDX did really well in Feb 2014, of course (I actually happened to be out of town for the entirety of that event which was really a bummer - because of that, I haven't seen a 1"+ snowfall at my house since March 2012) but aside from that, we haven't had it any better than the Puget Sound region this decade. You guys up there did a lot better in Jan 2012, Feb 2011, and Nov 2010 than the Willamette Valley; Portland has officially measured only 15.2" of snow in the 6 winters since '08-'09, which averages to 2.5" per year.

 

2.5" is beyond ridiculous.  Pretty amazing this is the same city that had 11 winters with over 20 inches between 1871 and 1900.  It just amazes me what this climate has become.

[TT-SEA]

Man, if ever there was a pattern that was so close for so many...I did say about 10 days ago that the upcoming pattern reminded me of 2007-08, and unfortunately it's worked out that way to this point - lots of snow if you live above 1000', lots of wet snow/mix below.

 

Today was a step closer with the Hood Canal seeing their first decent snow in awhile. I really, really hope something works out for more of you this week.

 

 

Yeah... definitely shades of 2007-08.   Insane snow in the mountains... and plenty of snow here as well but just frustration below.    Almost 20 inches of snow here in the last 10 days.   Obviously it went on for much longer in 2007-08.     

[Phil]

This Winter must be agony so far out there though. What was it, like 70 on Christmas Eve?

Haha, it was 78 degrees, pouring rain, and thundering at 1AM Christmas Eve. So agonizing it was actually enjoyable to some extent. #nightmarebeforechristmas

[Perturbed Member]

We essentially went from December 2008 to February 2014 without a significant snow that lasted more than a few hours.

 

I hope that doesn't become the norm going forward.

[Perturbed Member]

At least we did have a nice event in Nov 2010, a pretty long lasting but messy event in Jan 2012, and then a pretty good snow in late Feb 2011.  It would sure be nice to see Seattle and Portland both do well for once.

 

I think it pretty much takes a December 2008 level of event for both PDX and SEA to get something, just not something we seem to get often anymore. It is too bad we don't get more region wide events.

[TT-SEA]

HRRR shows more precip wrapping in over King County early tomorrow morning.

 

This is 4 a.m.

 

http://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/HRRR/for_web/hrrr_ncep_jet/2015122804/t1/1ref_t1sfc_f08.png

[Front Ranger]

Euro looks better than GFS for Tue...I think, on my phone.

[Snowman5678]

Went for a drive to try and find some accumulating snow. A few miles to my NNE there was 1-2" of snow accumulating on everything including the roads. A few miles to my SSE there was about an inch of snow and dumping snow. 

Still snowing here, like it has been since 5, 34 degrees and no accumulation. Talk about a waste

But hey, I mean frost is nice too during inversions.

[TT-SEA]

Euro looks better than GFS for Tue...I think, on my phone.

 

 

Great for Portland... absolutely nothing north of Chehalis.

[seattleweatherguy]

HRRR shows more precip wrapping in over King County early tomorrow morning.

 

This is 4 a.m.

 

http://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/HRRR/for_web/hrrr_ncep_jet/2015122804/t1/1ref_t1sfc_f08.png

Hey will this all be snow this time?

[FroYoBro]

The low placel

 

Great for Portland... absolutely nothing north of Chehalis.

The low placement is great for Portland, but the model shows surface temps a little too warm for snow. Should be another annoying thing to track! 

[Snowman5678]

But on the other hand that climate doesn't drive you to the brink of despair.

That is also very true. Granted we had a good 5 or 6 systems that looked pretty promising end up splitting within 72 hours of it hitting and giving us nothing more than a rain to snow transition with 1/4-1/2" accumulation. Then we got the big storm right before I left, which made up for the crap beforehand. 

[snow_wizard]

FWIW about half of the CFS runs continue to inidcate some fairly decent cold later in January after a long period of low level cold early in the month.

[snow_wizard]

The low placel

 

The low placement is great for Portland, but the model shows surface temps a little too warm for snow. Should be another annoying thing to track! 

 

I kind of want the thing to miss altogether so we can just get dry and cold.  I'm sick of this.