January 2017 Observations and Model Discussion for the Pacific Northwest

[Perturbed Member]

This has been such an amazing weather experience for me. We had really strong model agreement going into it (minus the recently awful WRF and perpetually worthless RPM),  I was thinking to myself that 3-6 inches on the west side and 2-4 for the rest of the metro was within reach and that if we were lucky some spots could get 8 inches if everything went right. 

 

The way everything just came together perfectly and exceeded expectations is truly mind blowing to a PNW weather geek who is used to being shafted in all the most random unexpected ways. The strength of the low, the northern track, the nearly perfectly timed cold air advection, an airmass that wasn't excessively dry and just cold enough and a seemingly endless supply of moisture.

 

This afternoon temps were in the upper 30s and lightly raining, typical boring PNW lowland weather. Then the rain picked up and in a matter of an hour things were transformed into a winter wonderland. This has been some of the heaviest continuous snowfall I've seen here, just dumping huge flakes hour after hour. Oh and I can't forget the thundersnow. Lighting, thunder, roaring east winds, drifting/blowing snow and heavy snow. Simply epic. It is still snowing hard now and there is plenty more to come to add to my current 9 inches of snow.  

 

 

This is going to go down as one of the greatest snowstorms  I've experienced at my location. There will be no more complaining from me about the weather for quite a while. 

[Timmy]

Our covered moorage collapsed and almost killed me I had to get rescued off the work barge that was partially sunk. Screw snow.

[Goducks09]

What a fitful nights sleep. Waking up every hour to look out the window. Amazing over performance!

 

Can we lobby to have the RPM retired?! I think it was calling for 0.1" in PDX metro as late as yesterday afternoon.

[Goducks09]

Our covered moorage collapsed and almost killed me I had to get rescued off the work barge that was partially sunk. Screw snow.

Yikes. Glad you are okay!

[Kayla]

Our covered moorage collapsed and almost killed me I had to get rescued off the work barge that was partially sunk. Screw snow.

 

Wow, glad to hear you are okay. Stay safe!

[snow drift]

What a fitful nights sleep. Waking up every hour to look out the window. Amazing over performance!

 

 

Can we lobby to have the RPM retired?! I think it was calling for 0.1" in PDX metro as late as yesterday afternoon.

The best storms seem to catch the experts off guard. In 08 we had a storm progged to give us 3-8 inches. We ended up with 2-3 feet.

[BLI snowman]

Our covered moorage collapsed and almost killed me I had to get rescued off the work barge that was partially sunk. Screw snow.

Stay safe. Flight canceled?

[TT-SEA]

29 with a dewpoint of 26 at PDX and falling.   I am very concerned that all the snow down there might not melt today.  

[Weather101]

Very happy for everyone getting nailed down there!!

[TT-SEA]

Snow clearly on the ground as far north as Centralia per the WSDOT cams.

 

The cams from Olympia to Tacoma are still annoyingly down.   

 

OLM has 31 with a dewpoint of 17 and wind NE10 and did not report snow on any hour overnight... so probably lots of flurries from Olympia up through southern King County.

[FroYoBro]

Still lightly snowing and about 30 degrees. I probably only slept 3 hours last night.

 

Jury duty canceled!

[Tyler Mode]

Received another couple inches of snow since 1 AM.  It's very nice and peaceful out, quiet and still.  Love this!

[Alex_Snakes]

Flurry storm at my house by the Narrows bridge.

[Heavy Snow]

Just woke up and measured and got 10“ here and still coming down good. Still sleepy so going back to sleep and maybe will wake up with a foot. ☺❄

[FroYoBro]

I just measured out there. Just a little under 7 inches.

 

Almost seems like it is a light rain/snow mix right now, but not sure if the upper levels support that. 

[Poulsbo Snowman]

No.

Thanks!

 

Power back on at 3:00 am

[The Swamp]

I saw two snowflakes here in the swamp. 2.

[luminen]

I saw two snowflakes here in the swamp. 2.

 

Better than 0 like here. Are you sure you caught all the flakes though? There might have been 6 or something. 

[Bryant]

I saw two snowflakes here in the swamp. 2.

Progress!

[Front Ranger]

Snowing in Tacoma per FB.

[crf450ish]

Snow clearly on the ground as far north as Centralia per the WSDOT cams.

 

The cams from Olympia to Tacoma are still annoyingly down.

 

 

 

OLM has 31 with a dewpoint of 17 and wind NE10 and did not report snow on any hour overnight... so probably lots of flurries from Olympia up through southern King County.

Check the cams on WU

[FroYoBro]

I just measured out there. Just a little under 7 inches.

 

Almost seems like it is a light rain/snow mix right now, but not sure if the upper levels support that. 

 

Yeah, that rain/snow comment was nonsense. It was just very light snow.

 

Snowing pretty again now. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Looking at the models, it'll all be over a in an hour or two it looks like. 

[crf450ish]

Our covered moorage collapsed and almost killed me I had to get rescued off the work barge that was partially sunk. Screw snow.

D**n dude that is not cool.

[Farmboy]

I'm seeing some pretty solid radar echoes moving south to north, with the leading edge crossing into Seattle and Bellevue, can anyone in south King county confirm falling snow?  I can't look outside at the moment..

[The Swamp]

Digging out from the virga storm. Caution to older folks. This much shoveling in the cold can lead to heart attacks.

[MossMan]

Cloudy and 24 here currently. Clouds with no chance of precip when cold is just salt on a wound type stuff.

[Bryant]

Screw snow.

Well, you got the snow you were wanting!

[MossMan]

Precip blooming south of Seattle!

[Tyler Mode]

Still snowing lightly.  Despite the 6.5", we are still around half of the totals down in Vancouver, Portland etc.  Parents reported 11" around midnight and it didn't stop snowing hard until 2 or so.

[Blizzard777]

A few snow flakes falling this morning here...you can count them, very light again. North wind winding down and a temp of 30*.

Enjoying the streaming news online of Portland!

Daughter just informed me she made it to work over in Lake Oswego....works for a grocery and their open

My wife is on Grandma duty down there so she will be playing in the snow with the little guy.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Well that was quite an event for the history books in the metro area! That January 56 storm statman referenced is probably a good analog. 

 

I was hoping to be able to close my office today, but really no reason to with only about 1-2" of snow across the Salem area and wet roads. 

 

29 here with some light snow, and at least the 2" of snow will freshen up the 4" of slush I had on the ground.

[TT-SEA]

Some of the ODOT cams around Portland look just like mountain passes.  

[TT-SEA]

Precip blooming south of Seattle!

 

 

Flurries in very dry air!   

 

Dewpoint at SEA is 11.  

[crf450ish]

Agree 100%. And of course this will most likely end up being a 20 year storm. So not something you see very often here that's for sure!

Pics?

[luvssnow_spokane]

Got a super light trace of snow in the swamp highlands. Super light snow currently...

[Bryant]

Got a super light trace of snow in the swamp highlands. Super light snow currently...

Nice!

[crf450ish]

Watching Fox12 Oregon live via live web broadcast at my house now. Holy crap things are craZy!!!! Downed power lines, gridlock traffic on the interstate. Not fun.

[FroYoBro]

Got a super light trace of snow in the swamp highlands. Super light snow currently...

 

WOO HOO!

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

One thing will never change. The best storms are never advertised