December 2015 in the Pacific Northwest

[Deweydog]

Just passed 15 inches for the month here.  

[bainbridgekid]

Being a truck driver would be murder on a day like today.

 

From 1,700 feet East of North Bend this afternoon:

 

[TT-SEA]

You misread my question.

 

 

You asked about seasonal snowfall total right?   

 

Barely anything the last 2 winters.

[Front Ranger]

You asked about seasonal snowfall total right?   

 

Barely anything the last 2 winters.

 

I asked what was the last winter you had 30"+? 

[snow_wizard]

Hard to not like the ECMWF.  Beyond day 10 the ECMWF ensemble keeps prolonging the favorable pattern.  The ECMWF based snowfall graphics on Weatherbell indicate widespread lowland snow just before Christmas with cold enough temps to keep any snow that falls around for a while.

[Deweydog]

http://www.komonews.com/weather/blogs/scott/Poll-Seattleites-narrowly-prefer-sunny-hot-weather-to-rainy-windy-weather-362841441.html

 

Totally F'd up.  What is wrong with people???

[Deweydog]

I asked what was the last winter you had 30"+? 

 

Did he get 30 inches today?  

 

Crazy.   

[TT-SEA]

I asked what was the last winter you had 30"+? 

 

 

Ahhhh... for sure in 2011-12.   We had 30 inches on the ground in January before the ice storm.   

 

I know we also had 8 inches the week before Christmas in 2012.   I think that was the main even that winter.

 

Obviously 2010-11 and 2011-12 had over 30 inches.    Nothing close since that time.

[TT-SEA]

Hard to not like the ECMWF.  Beyond day 10 the ECMWF ensemble keeps prolonging the favorable pattern.  The ECMWF based snowfall graphics on Weatherbell indicate widespread lowland snow just before Christmas with cold enough temps to keep any snow that falls around for a while.

 

 

Its still the gold standard.   

[Front Ranger]

http://www.komonews.com/weather/blogs/scott/Poll-Seattleites-narrowly-prefer-sunny-hot-weather-to-rainy-windy-weather-362841441.html

 

Totally F'd up.  What is wrong with people???

 

Almost half of Seattleites prefer cool/stormy weather? Certainly doesn't jive with some theories about the general population proposed on here. Guess non-weenies are just as screwed up as weenies.

[FroYoBro]

Urgent weather update!

 

 

It is currently 39 degrees and raining at Pdx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deweydog]

Urgent weather update!

 

 

It is currently 39 degrees and raining at Pdx!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seven degrees colder and things could be VERY interesting. Minor tweaks.

[TT-SEA]

Almost half of Seattleites prefer cool/stormy weather? Certainly doesn't jive with some theories about the general population proposed on here. Guess non-weenies are just as screwed up as weenies.

 

 

I think its a little misleading because the question was do you prefer historic heat (and people have the memory of the drought and wildfires) or this stormy December weather. 

 

Judging by the comments... looks like there are people who would rather vote for 70-75 and sunny but that was not a choice.  

 

And even then... 55% would still rather have historic heat.       

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Salem torching at 55 degrees. 

 

1.51" so far today at PDX. Puts them at 11.95" on the month... Only 1.40" to go to the record...

[FroYoBro]

PDX has picked up .64 inches of rain in the last three hours. They should easily break the monthly rainfall record in the next week. 

[High Desert Mat]

00z in 20 min. Lets hope it starts sniffing the euro's butt tonight and that ita not the euro doing the sniffing. I have a feeling starting Saturday ita going to get really interesting for the foreseeable future, at least over here in central Oregon, but hopefully for the lowlands as well. Merry Christmas all!

[High Desert Mat]

It's, it's, it's grrrr

[SilverFallsAndrew]

It's, it's, it's grrrr

 

Did you get any snow today?

[Gradient Keeper]

00z in 20 min. Lets hope it starts sniffing the euro's butt tonight and that ita not the euro doing the sniffing. I have a feeling starting Saturday ita going to get really interesting for the foreseeable future, at least over here in central Oregon, but hopefully for the lowlands as well. Merry Christmas all!

Yeah. Will this run trend more towards the EURO featuring a stronger ridge with a cold north-northeast flow, modified arctic air into eastern Washington/Columbia Basin with offshore flow? or will it show a weaker ridge with the system crossing the Aleutians shoving the ridge east too soon and we just end up being moderately chilly? We don't have a definitive trend yet for either solution. Remember, the pattern develops upstream now by day 5 near the Aleutians. I am concerned about bust potential or models turning unfavorably due to the fact the overall pattern is very progressive. We are starting to close in on that time frame where models soon will reveal that final trend or solution. The lowest chance as always is for us to see models turn colder/arctic blast. Right now based on everything I have seen the best chance outcome is the ridge not setting up favorably being pushed east too quickly, or a glancing blow into eastern Washington with potential cold pool over the Columbia Basin. Still a small chance the EURO solution is correct and we'll see everything trend that way.

[GHweatherChris]

Yeah. Will this run trend more towards the EURO featuring a stronger ridge with a cold north-northeast flow, modified arctic air into eastern Washington/Columbia Basin with offshore flow? or will it show a weaker ridge with the system crossing the Aleutians shoving the ridge east too soon and we just end up being moderately chilly? We don't have a definitive trend yet for either solution. Remember, the pattern develops upstream now by day 5 near the Aleutians. I am concerned about bust potential or models turning unfavorably due to the fact the overall pattern is very progressive. We are starting to close in on that time frame where models soon will reveal that final trend or solution. The lowest chance as always is for us to see models turn colder/arctic blast. Right now based on everything I have seen the best chance outcome is the ridge not setting up favorably being pushed east too quickly, or a glancing blow into eastern Washington with potential cold pool over the Columbia Basin. Still a small chance the EURO solution is correct and we'll see everything trend that way.

Tims faith in the Euro will pull us through. It has to or he has been following a false prophet.

[Gradient Keeper]

Tims faith in the Euro will pull us through. It has to or he has been following a false prophet.

Very true and I did not account for this factor.

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

Arctic express 2015. I can still remember 1990, what a storm.

[Deweydog]

Arctic express 2015. I can still remember 1990, what a storm.

Turned quite chilly tomorrow 25 years ago...

[Guest Sounder]

Just went from 38 and raining to 54 in under an hour here at my parent's place in the West Hills of Portland. That was quick.

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

Turned quite chilly tomorrow 25 years ago...

only time I have seen it gust to 60 from north in my area. The trees were not to happy.

[Front Ranger]

Arctic express 2015. I can still remember 1990, what a storm.

 

Indeed. I was but 9 years old, and it was the storm that truly sparked my interest in weather.

 

My school had a Christmas program that night, the last day of school before winter break. There was no snow when the program started, but from the stage I could look out through the back windows of the building and saw when it started snowing...I remember seeing it blow sideways, and swirl around in the wind. 

 

Two hours later, we stepped outside into a winter wonderland. The drive home was treacherous, with lots of cars off the road, especially on the hills. Once home, we turned on the news and saw reports from around the area about the storm (SIBERIAN EXPRESS!!). Lots of places lost power but we didn't. The next day was frigid and everything, even all the roads, were covered in a thick layer of snow. The neighborhood kids and I sledded up and down the street (we lived on a sloping hill) all day. It was glorious.

 

Sadly, I came down with chicken pox the next day, and had to watch all the other kids having a blast outside the next few days while I was stuck inside.

[crf450ish]

HOLY CRAP GUYS!!!!! [had to ramp up the enthusiasm] 24 degrees here and blowing snow!....yeah blowing powdery snow! I've never seen blowing snow in WA before. Seen it plenty whilst driving/working in Wyoming & Colorado. Accumulation appears to be 2" and still snowing, but it's blowing around (no drifts...yet). Heavier bands of snow come and go. The roads are white, not compact snow and ice, but rather just white. Whatever sticks, sticks, and the rest blows away. I am guessing the wind is 10 mph with the occasional 15-20mph gust....it's really something to see the snow blowing off of my metal roof and across the road. I'm totally psyched about this. Cant wait to get the quad out tomorrow and tow the kids on the sled behind it haha. Can't really make snowmen out of powder, kids will learn that real quick in the morning. 

 

And to think....the locals are calling this a "mild" winter so far. Sheesh, can I see what a "non-mild" winter event is like? I am looking forward to it. That wakeboard boat we have in the garage is looking more and more like a couple new snowmobiles.....naww, I'll keep the boat for the awesome summers we have over here! Haha, so happy we moved over here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(I Feel like a weenie for being so psyched up about this little event here)

[crf450ish]

Indeed. I was but 9 years old, and it was the storm that truly sparked my interest in weather.

 

My school had a Christmas program that night, the last day of school before winter break. There was no snow when the program started, but from the stage I could look out through the back windows of the building and saw when it started snowing...I remember seeing it blow sideways, and swirl around in the wind. 

 

Two hours later, we stepped outside into a winter wonderland. The drive home was treacherous, with lots of cars off the road, especially on the hills. Once home, we turned on the news and saw reports from around the area about the storm (SIBERIAN EXPRESS!!). Lots of places lost power but we didn't. The next day was frigid and everything, even all the roads, were covered in a thick layer of snow. The neighborhood kids and I sledded up and down the street (we lived on a sloping hill) all day. It was glorious.

 

Sadly, I came down with chicken pox the next day, and had to watch all the other kids having a blast outside the next few days while I was stuck inside.

What you said in bold there is how I feel about the 1996 storm. I was in sixth grade and remember my mother making a snow dog in the front yard, yes a snow dog....she misted it with warm water from a spray bottle so it would ice over and last longer. Meanwhile my father was busy towing the neighborhood kids and I around behind our three wheeler (good ol' 85' Honda ATC 185..). Freezing rain was also a part of this, if I remember correctly, and thats when the power lines came down and things got ugly real fast. Power was out, we resorted to using a kerosene heater to heat our house for 7 days. Had to keep every window in the house cracked about a quarter inch, thats when I learned about the dangers of carbon monoxide (that killed so many dummies that used BBQs to heat their house during the Hanukkah eve storm 06').

 

In the end, it was an awesome experience that I will cherish forever. It's also what sparked my interests in the weather as well. From that point forward I was always glued to the window whenever that thermometer read below 32*.....Growing up in western wa, I was let down allot though. Nowadays, my family and I are able to enjoy the luxuries of living in a place with 4 REAL seasons.... 

[TT-SEA]

HOLY CRAP GUYS!!!!! [had to ramp up the enthusiasm] 24 degrees here and blowing snow!....yeah blowing powdery snow! I've never seen blowing snow in WA before. Seen it plenty whilst driving/working in Wyoming & Colorado. Accumulation appears to be 2" and still snowing, but it's blowing around (no drifts...yet). Heavier bands of snow come and go. The roads are white, not compact snow and ice, but rather just white. Whatever sticks, sticks, and the rest blows away. I am guessing the wind is 10 mph with the occasional 15-20mph gust....it's really something to see the snow blowing off of my metal roof and across the road. I'm totally psyched about this. Cant wait to get the quad out tomorrow and tow the kids on the sled behind it haha. Can't really make snowmen out of powder, kids will learn that real quick in the morning. 

 

And to think....the locals are calling this a "mild" winter so far. Sheesh, can I see what a "non-mild" winter event is like? I am looking forward to it. That wakeboard boat we have in the garage is looking more and more like a couple new snowmobiles.....naww, I'll keep the boat for the awesome summers we have over here! Haha, so happy we moved over here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(I Feel like a weenie for being so psyched up about this little event here)

 

 

I have seen blowing snow here at my house many times... even on the wet side.   

[High Desert Mat]

Where are you 450? You doin like you've never seen snow before lol. I love the enthusiasm!!!

[High Desert Mat]

Doin? Meant actin!!! Grrrr, D**n spell check

[Gradient Keeper]

00z GFS HR 114

How this 1009mb low is handled with its depth and track will tell us if we end up with a stronger ridge or if it's shoved east too quickly.

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs/2015121800/gfs_z500_mslp_wpac_20.png

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I have seen blowing snow here at my house many times... even on the wet side.   

Most of the time I see blowing snow it is 31 degrees with 30mph SW winds and the concrete sticks to everything it hits. lol

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Snowed here in NE Oklahoma today. No accumulation. 

[Phil]

I haven't been able to see it yet since it wasn't out on Weatherbell yet, but apparently week 2-4 on the weeklies has a -PNA/EPO and a dry west coast.

Looks like a +PNA/-EPO..not buying it as depicted.

[TT-SEA]

Most of the time I see blowing snow it is 31 degrees with 30mph SW winds and the concrete sticks to everything it hits. lol

 

 

I have seen that as well... but more commonly here it is with a dry east wind and the snow is powder like he is describing tonight.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I have seen that as well... but more commonly here it is with a dry east wind and the snow is powder like he is describing tonight.

 

Happened on 12/6/13 at my place. That is the only time I have seen it. 

[Front Ranger]

0z is pretty weak with the offshore ridge in the mid range. Probably still setting up for some more marginal snow situations, though.

[MossMan]

36 degrees and moderate rain pretty much all day here. (Though we did have some wet snow mixed in at my work earlier today) November 1985 got me hooked on the weather. I was 9. Oh what a great Arctic Blast!

[High Desert Mat]

I've seen blowing snow every year I've lived in central Oregon. This year probably 3 tomes so far. I've lived here 6 years now and it's such a great place to live weather wise. It's a lot slower than being in Ne PDX.