Winter 2016-17 Analysis

[snow_wizard]

No doubt the winter we just experienced was the most solid from the perspective of persistent / recurring cold the NW has experienced in a good many years.  Very possibly the best in that regard since 1992-93 and maybe further back than that for many locations.  A stubborn positive height anomaly centered at 50N 165W was responsible for the persistent cold and was in fact quite different than the mean anomaly that effected winters like 2008-09 and 1992-93.  The block had much more of an ":old time" look t it.  Might this be the beginning of a better regime for us?  Only time will tell.

 

Here is the three month 500mb anomaly composite for Dec - Feb.  Very impressive for a 3 month mean.

 

 

 

 

[BLI snowman]

Nice to see the cool West/warm East profile return.

[Guest happ]

The winter temperature anomaly was subtle in SoCal due to clouds. Winter mean [58.4°] was below normal [60.1°] at my location but this is only 23 years of data. Generally, the warmer nights negated the cool cloudy days for near normal means. Heating degree days are fairly high [608 since 7/1/16].

[snow_wizard]

The Puget Sound Lowlands ranked number 17 since 1895 for temperature average for Dec - Jan with an average of 35.8. Pretty darn respectable and coldest of the century so far.