February 2017 Observations and Model Discussion for the Pacific Northwest

[Poulsbo Snowman]

I'm sure I'm in the minority here, but I enjoy watching snow fall (even non-accumulating) more than having snow just sitting around doing nothing but slowly turning gray/brown.

I agree.  Was a beautiful day before the rain came.

[Brennan]

Sure looks like freezing rain there on the traffic cams.

Yeah i think its Zr pretty much everywhere by now. What a mess. Could be several hours of freezing rain on top of 2-3 feet of snow in NE county.

 

Somehow it's still near freezing around Lake Whatcom. My dad just messaged me and said he heard a huge crash up in the yard. Big maple fell down the hillside. Must be ZR there too. 31.5*f

[North_County]

Any reports from sumas?

Freezing rain for at least 3 hours now. Heavy most of the time. Blowing sideways with the NE outflow still winning out.

 

I keep staring out the window at my car parked along the street, wondering if I'll be able to open the doors in the morning, or if they'll be frozen shut.

 

Kind of surprised the lights haven't flickered yet with the wind still blowing and a coat of ice on all surfaces, including tree branches and power lines.

 

The drifting between Lynden and Sumas today was relentless, but with all the snow now coated with a layer of ice, I don't imagine we'll see much of that tomorrow.

[VancouverIslandSouth]

Normally I despise the Olympic snow/rain shadow; but I'm pretty happy to see it showing up tonight.

[ShawniganLake]

Normally I despise the Olympic snow/rain shadow; but I'm pretty happy to see it showing up tonight.

31F with heavy rain here. Doesn't seem to be freezing up too much but it's cold enough that the snow is staying on the trees and soaking up the rain water. Power is out again. 3 of the last 4 evenings here have been in the dark.

[Brennan]

Freezing rain for at least 3 hours now. Heavy most of the time. Blowing sideways with the NE outflow still winning out.

 

I keep staring out the window at my car parked along the street, wondering if I'll be able to open the doors in the morning, or if they'll be frozen shut.

 

Kind of surprised the lights haven't flickered yet with the wind still blowing and a coat of ice on all surfaces, including tree branches and power lines.

 

The drifting between Lynden and Sumas today was relentless, but with all the snow now coated with a layer of ice, I don't imagine we'll see much of that tomorrow.

I've really enjoyed your updates over the past week! Feels like this event has lasted forever, and it was just kicking off last friday.

[TT-SEA]

31F with heavy rain here. Doesn't seem to be freezing up too much but it's cold enough that the snow is staying on the trees and soaking up the rain water. Power is out again. 3 of the last 4 evenings here have been in the dark.

The power being out on multiple days would get old. We managed to get through this with losing power. It was flickering on Sunday and Monday but hung in there!

[ShawniganLake]

The power being out on multiple days would get old. We managed to get through this with losing power. It was flickering on Sunday and Monday but hung in there!

Yea it's annoying. Part of the price you pay for living in heavily forested rural areas.

 

I spoke too soon. I went outside and took a closer look, and there is a thick coating of ice on the trees. I can't remember the last time I saw that here.

[wx_statman]

Their snowfall records are kind of a mess, but I'm guessing they are already assured one of the top 2 or 3 snowiest winters of the past 50 years there, after today.

 

They kind of are, its unfortunate. From what I can tell, 1996-97 is their only real competition to this winter in recent decades. Going back to either 1968-69 or 1970-71.

[wx_statman]

North winds are still extending all the way down to Salem down here. Today could have been a pretty major snow/ice event if just a little more cold air had made it into eastern Washington a few days ago.

 

PDX is still sitting at only 36 and the south winds appear to be far away still. Amazing that they will probably score another high in the 30s today.

 

29 in 66 days now.

[ShawniganLake]

Just noticed the thick coating of ice on the power lines here now. Still 31F with a north wind. Most ice I've seen here in at least 20 years.

[Chewbacca Defense]

Sure is a lot less grumbling here the past day or so.

 

I would imagine some folks might need a cigarette after this event!

[BLI snowman]

29 in 66 days now.

 

Most since 1985-86's 29 tally. 

 

We'll see if we can pull one more off at some point. Becomes a pretty steep hill to climb after February 20 and there won't be any more opportunities before then.

[wx_statman]

Just noticed the thick coating of ice on the power lines here now. Still 31F with a north wind. Most ice I've seen here in at least 20 years.

 

We've had 4 separate ice storms in Portland this winter. That's the most in a long time here, maybe since 1978-79.  

[wx_statman]

Most since 1985-86's 29 tally. 

 

We'll see if we can pull one more off at some point. Becomes a pretty steep hill to climb after February 20 and there won't be any more opportunities before then.

 

Nina March...we might have a shot at a dreary 39 somewhere in there. 

[BLI snowman]

Nina March...we might have a shot at a dreary 39 somewhere in there. 

 

Nina is basically dead though. A bit lower ENSO and some March snow would be a lock given the way this winter has gone.

[wx_statman]

Nina is basically dead though. A bit lower ENSO and some March snow would be a lock given the way this winter has gone.

 

I'm tempted to think we have a shot at something, precisely because of the way this winter has gone. 

[dairyd]

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a
 

* Flood Warning for...

  Rain and Snowmelt in...

  Northwestern Whatcom County in northwestern Washington...
 

* Until 1015 PM PST Thursday
 

* At 415 AM PST, temperatures remain near freezing in Whatcom county

  with freezing rain being reported. Temperatures will warm up

  rapidly this afternoon into the evening hours. This combined with

  up to an inch of rain and the significant snow on the ground will

  cause some flooding.
 

* Some locations that will experience flooding include...

  Sumas, Deming, Lynden, Ferndale, Everson, Nooksack, Glacier,

  and Maple Falls.
 

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions...
 

Excessive runoff from rainfall and snowmelt will cause flooding of

small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, and

underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

 

[North_County]

Impressive snow drift.

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1819584144965413&id=1416915231898975

[Phil]

Long Island/NYC getting crushed w/ 3-4"/hr snow this morning. Snowing everywhere but here this winter, it seems.

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/ny_wx/status/829695344363634692

[TT-SEA]

Almost up to 50 at SEA... looks like most of the snow is gone from the Seattle area.   

 

Still 33 at BLI.   

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Salem is already over 7" of rain on the month. Wow...

[MossMan]

50!! Just patches of snow left.

[Jesse]

Salem is already over 7" of rain on the month. Wow...

Much rain. So flood. Very puddle. Wow.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Much rain. So flood. Very puddle. Wow.

Oh brother

[Jesse]

Oh brother

I take it you aren't familiar with Doge.

[Blizzard777]

47 degrees and moderate rain. Still about a half inch of snow on grass. Sump pumps are going crazy with all this rain and snow melt (life at the bottom of a hill ).

 

Looking forward to some nice weather so I can clean up the yard a bit a cut up a huge branch that fell

[MossMan]

50F and heavy drizzle here. Meanwhile in Lynden...

http://images.wsdot.wa.gov/nw/539vc01510.jpg

[TT-SEA]

The melt down is on... still waiting to be blasted with wind which will help the process a great deal.   That should happen later this morning.

 

 

[MossMan]

21 and freezing rain at the summit of a closed Snoqualmie pass. I was supposed to head over to the Tri Cities today...but I got to sleep in instead!

http://images.wsdot.wa.gov/sc/090VC05200.jpg

[Blizzard777]

The melt down is on... still waiting to be blasted with wind which will help the process a great deal.   That should happen later this morning.

 

 

I need to move to your area!

Absolutely beatifull there!

[TT-SEA]

I need to move to your area!

Absolutely beatifull there!

 

Not so beautiful today. 

[jcmcgaffey]

It seems like we are continuing the theme from the last few years of a lot of dry days and then short periods of heavy rain.  It feels like this winter has had a lot of dry days especially since the first of the year.  However, after tomorrow SEA will be close to double the amount of rain than average since the start of the new year.  Average is 5.70" to date and we are currently at 9.10".  It definitely does not feel like it has rained that much.

[VancouverIslandSouth]

Still 34F here with a north wind, the cold rain took some of the snow out of the trees and compacted the snow but otherwise didn't seem to cause a lot of melt. It's pretty drippy out there right now, but hard to imagine we'll hit the forecast high of 50F if we're still under north winds by noon.

 

The first 8 days of February are running 6.6F below average at YYJ.

 

 

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p286/jemeric/IMG_4154_zpsmt2hkusl.jpg

[MossMan]

Wonder if North_County and dairyd are starting to thaw out yet.

[VancouverIslandSouth]

31F with heavy rain here. Doesn't seem to be freezing up too much but it's cold enough that the snow is staying on the trees and soaking up the rain water. Power is out again. 3 of the last 4 evenings here have been in the dark.

 

Yikes, I've only had one brief outage since I moved here. That was in January when we were getting those massive outflow winds. It doesn't look like there was much freezing rain in Victoria. It was rainy and below freezing for awhile but only a small amount of ice accumulated, probably because it was so close to the freezing mark. It must be a real mess up that way today, hopefully the warmer temperatures will take some of the weighted snow off the trees to prevent further power losses.

[Chewbacca Defense]

50F and heavy drizzle here. Meanwhile in Lynden...

Meanwhile in Sumas....this picture was taken this morning and is circling FB and Twitter. (credit to Sumas PD)

[MossMan]

Simply stunning images from Whatcom Co, Scott Sistek did a great write up and lots of images!

http://static-11.sinclairstoryline.com/resources/media/0c452cba-5623-431c-a829-6dd9a2288076-large16x9_lynden_snow.jpg?1486604905364

[dairyd]

Wonder if North_County and dairyd are starting to thaw out yet.

 

Ice started with the 9pm wave.  I got up again at 4 and it was still icing.  Where we are at between goodwin and hwy 9, maybe 1/2" but it is much heavier to the N and W of us, they are still hanging on to freezing temps.  We are at 33 so are starting the melt.  I think the outflow is finished though. 

[Jesse]

Bouncing between 56 and 57 at Aurora, but still only 40 at PDX. They should see a huge temp spike at some point this afternoon.