December 2016 Observations and Model Discussion for the Pacific Northwest

[TT-SEA]

Indeed.  I will never forget one night I was at the Seattle Center in Feb 1989.  The roads were covered with ice and the most out of control vehicle I saw going down a small hill had Montana plates.

 

Just a side note about that event...the fountains at the Science Center were freeking surreal with the ice around them.  True winter that time.

 

 

That does not mean the person driving that car was from Montana.    Glad you remember that from almost 30 years ago.  

[Front Ranger]

Reports of snow now in south Tacoma per friends.

[Phil]

I've been to both cities.

So have I. What's your point?

 

Need a google earth topographical map?

[TT-SEA]

Reports of snow now in south Tacoma per friends.

 

 

Snow or widely spaced flurries?   

[Deweydog]

Reports of snow now in south Tacoma per friends.

 

I find that very hard to believe.

 

The GFS, NAM, Canadian and Euro all agreed you have no friends.  

[Jesse]

Yeah, I don't think so. You guys can't drive in the snow..no shame in admitting it.

Do you mainly post here to drive home your opinion that the East Coast is superior to the West Coast?

 

That is honestly how it seems sometimes.

[Deweydog]

DUDE you are talking out your a**... the whole cite of Seattle is built on a hill there is no way to get around other then rather steep hills. It is much like San Francisco but even worse with steeper terrain.

 

He grew up 45 miles east of Seattle.  I certainly think he's spent quite a bit of time there, especially when he was inventing the internet and such.  

[Deweydog]

Euro trying to be interesting for Xmas.  

[Front Ranger]

Snow or widely spaced flurries?   

 

Not sure. Just posts on FB: "It's snowing!!!"

[TT-SEA]

I am loving the 00Z ECMWF at day 8... looks like a great set up for Christmas weekend.    Much better than the 00Z run last night.

[Phil]

Do you mainly post here to drive home your opinion that the East Coast is superior to the West Coast?

 

That is honestly how it seems sometimes.

Lol, paranoid Jesse is back. I didn't bring up east coast drivers, and you'll never catch me defending drivers from here, ever ever ever ever.

 

Make up your mind already. Am I here to prove east coast superiority? Or do I just have a subconscious transparent negative bias of some sort?

[Timmy]

I am loving the 00Z ECMWF at day 8... looks like a great set up for Christmas weekend. Much better than the 00Z run last night.

What are the snow levels looking like ?

[Deweydog]

What are the snow levels looking like ?

 

1,261 feet.  

[Timmy]

1,261 feet.

I should be good then!

[luvssnow_spokane]

What are the snow levels looking like ?

Dry and cold again for WA...

[Phil]

He grew up 45 miles east of Seattle. I certainly think he's spent quite a bit of time there, especially when he was inventing the internet and such.

The Al Gore reference is a new one.

[Perturbed Member]

What a day! Officially got 4" at my location here in Gresham at about 500 feet. Was busy sledding and enjoying the snow all afternoon and evening. I'm happy and very satisfied with what I got and it won't melt anytime soon. This is what it's all about!

Glad you're satisfied with the event.

[Deweydog]

I should be good then!

 

Golden.

[Jesse]

Make up your mind already. Am I here to prove east coast superiority? Or do I just have a subconscious transparent negative bias of some sort?

Yes.

[Perturbed Member]

I would rather take a 2-4 inch event that sticks around for several days then a foot of snow that transitions to 45 degree rain the next day.  Glad PDX and surrounding areas scored this time.  Hopefully, the Puget Sound gets in on the action next time.

 

Hope SEA can get in on the fun next time too.

[Timmy]

Craziness out there, usually we get our roads plowed promptly, but obviously we are low priority now. All roads into town are basically impassible, even for me due to other abondoned cars. Cars all over off cliffs and in ditches. Some friends of ours took the back way home from work and after 4 hours ended up at our house because they couldn't get to town. They will be staying in our guest bed!

[ShawniganLake]

Yeah, I don't think so. You guys can't drive in the snow..no shame in admitting it.

Yea. pretty much this. People trying to drive through the snow and ice with worn out all seasons doesn't help. I would bet the PNW sees a higher percentage of cars with inappropriate tires compared to cities on the east coast.

[Phil]

Yes.

Alrighty then, Mr. "I just want to get along".

[luvssnow_spokane]

It is official... It is lightly snowing in the swamp.  Miracles do happen! 

[HighlandExperience]

It is official... It is lightly snowing in the swamp. Miracles do happen!

Light ?

[TT-SEA]

Radar echoes over my area for awhile and the moon is shining brightly through the clouds.

[Weather101]

Lol 5 pages about who has "hills" and who doesn't.

[liquidsnow]

http://maps1.pivotalweather.com/maps/models/ecmwf/2016121500/240/sfcmslp.na.png

 

HO..HO..NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Front Ranger]

Radar echoes over my area for awhile and the moon is shining brightly through the clouds.

 

It's been proven over and over that radar echoes mean little for your place.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Salem had some stalls on the bridge over the Willamette, but metered traffic while crews plowed it and seem to have sorted that out. I 5 got bad but other than that Salem seemed to avoid the pandemonium of Portland. Smaller city and few recent Bay Area transplants.

[DareDuck]

South, I think near "Knott Road."

Oh yea Knott Rd is the south end of town, they get a bit more snow due to their proximity to the Cascades and higher elevation.

[Front Ranger]

http://maps1.pivotalweather.com/maps/models/ecmwf/2016121500/240/sfcmslp.na.png

 

HO..HO..NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Gotta love that NE Pacific blocking showing up again, though.

[ShawniganLake]

Lol 5 pages about who has "hills" and who doesn't.

Greater Vancouver is very hilly and sometimes it snows there and sometimes the traffic gets really bad.

[Phil]

Yea. pretty much this. People trying to drive through the snow and ice with worn out all seasons doesn't help. I would bet the PNW sees a higher percentage of cars with inappropriate tires compared to cities on the east coast.

Yeah that's a killer. I used to drive an old 1999 Acura RL which hadn't had the tires replaced in ages. Several winters ago, I ended up sliding off MacArthur Blvd into a snow berm. Felt like the collective universe was laughing at me.

[Heavy Snow]

I am super happy for you!!!

Definitely jealous but good for you. Sounds like a wonderful evening.

Glad you're satisfied with the event.

 

Thanks, I was hoping for at least 3" and was happy with the amount I got. It's been a while that there will be snow cover with sunshine and very cold temps but it looks like Friday and Saturday will be able to accomplish those things. You guys up North are due for a big snowstorm. I like your chances next based on the fact that mother nature always balances itself out and because you guys technically should average more snow than us down South. Winter has just started and I believe we have seen nothing yet. Models are starting to hint again at huge Blocking somewhere in the North Pacific around Christmas.

[Deweydog]

The Centralia/Chehalis area should be seeing some pretty decent accumulations.  

[Front Ranger]

The Centralia/Chehalis area should be seeing some pretty decent accumulations.  

 

Yeah, the DZ has been basically over them for the past few hours. A surprise winner.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I wonder how winter driving is in Maine...

[Heavy Snow]

I've been preoccupied with this snowstorm and I haven't had a chance to look at longer range models in more detail until now. This was probably brought up here already but the new EURO EPS Monthly Ensemble Control is showing a big time Arctic Blast the first week of January. Makes sense with the models hinting at Blocking starting to form around Christmas. This is going to be our next opportunity to score.

[Weather101]

Greater Vancouver is very hilly and sometimes it snows there and sometimes the traffic gets really bad.

Just sometimes because sometimes it snows.