April 2017 Observations and Model Discussion for the Pacific Northwest

[stuffradio]

You wouldn't be able to grow all the stuff you do without seasons. Just sayin.

You can't grow stuff when it rains non stop and floods the fields either. Just sayin'. It's been remarkably better this week though, thankfully.

 

http://globalnews.ca/video/3401650/squire-barnes-looks-on-the-bright-side-of-the-rain

[jcmcgaffey]

Somehow SEA has avoided any rain totals today. Alot of areas around the seattle area got some decent totals today especially north. .50" and counting today in north seattle.

[ShawniganLake]

It would be seriously scary if we entered a slightly drier pattern as we enter summer.

 

Prayers are needed.

I would assume with next Wednesday looking close to 70 in Victoria, trees will be dying and fire will become a real concern.

[ShawniganLake]

Sure, but doesn't change my point about the N/S gradient recently. Been very pronounced the second half of the month.

 

7dPNormWRCC-NW.png

This week has seen the rain focussed further south. Not true for the month as a whole. Shawnigan, Vancouver, Abbotsford are all above normal for the month. ~130% (Probably even Victoria is wetter than normal.)

[GHweatherChris]

What VancouverIslandSouth is doing is legendary!!!

[TT-SEA]

What VancouverIslandSouth is doing is legendary!!!

 

Sarcastically pretending?    We do it all the time on here.  

[Jesse]

Sarcastically pretending? We do it all the time on here.

Yet it's still working on you. Even from across the country.

[TT-SEA]

Yet it's still working on you. Even from across the country.

I am just playing along. Sarcasm on top of sarcasm.

[Jesse]

I am just playing along. Sarcasm on top of sarcasm.

Yeah, no one buys that.

[TT-SEA]

Yeah, no one buys that.

 

OK Jesse.    

 

My responses are definitely not my normal sarcastic self.  

[Jesse]

Definitely looking like more of a roller coaster coming up, temp wise. Looking forward to it.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

1.61" of rain yesterday

[ShawniganLake]

A chilly 35F here this morning.

[VancouverIslandSouth]

Looks like Saturday might earn a place in the wins column:

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs/2017042706/gfs_mslp_pcpn_frzn_nwus_12.png

 

We could luck out and get a "dirty" rather than dry mid-week ridge as well  :

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/gfs/2017042706/gfs_mslp_pcpn_frzn_nwus_23.png

[VancouverIslandSouth]

A chilly 35F here this morning.

 

Down to 41F here last night, looks like there could be some convection this afternoon.

[Front Ranger]

This week has seen the rain focussed further south. Not true for the month as a whole. Shawnigan, Vancouver, Abbotsford are all above normal for the month. ~130% (Probably even Victoria is wetter than normal.)

 

Relative to normal, it's still been drier further north for the month as a whole. At least for the Puget Sound to Salem area.

 

[stuffradio]

Someone needs to remind me why Bill Nye is given credibility when his education had nothing to do with Atmospheric sciences. If you have media presence, and your opinions follow what the masses are believing, people just like to latch on to anyone who trumpets that opinion.

[Deweydog]

Someone needs to remind me why Bill Nye is given credibility when his education had nothing to do with Atmospheric sciences. If you have media presence, and your opinions follow what the masses are believing, people just like to latch on to anyone who trumpets that opinion.

He's skinny, wears bow ties, is a leftist provocateur and used to be on TV. That's all I need to say I'm with her(him)!!!

[Jesse]

Someone needs to remind me why Bill Nye is given credibility when his education had nothing to do with Atmospheric sciences. If you have media presence, and your opinions follow what the masses are believing, people just like to latch on to anyone who trumpets that opinion.

Hmmmm...I agree!

[Phil]

Someone needs to remind me why Bill Nye is given credibility when his education had nothing to do with Atmospheric sciences. If you have media presence, and your opinions follow what the masses are believing, people just like to latch on to anyone who trumpets that opinion.

Pretty much what Dewey said. Dude is a figurehead.

[jcmcgaffey]

Somehow SEA has avoided any rain totals today. Alot of areas around the seattle area got some decent totals today especially north. .50" and counting today in north seattle.

Looks like Scott Sistek did a write up on SEA's recorded dry day yesterday:

 

http://komonews.com/weather/scotts-weather-blog/a-record-145-seattle-rainy-days-but-wednesday-wasnt-one-of-them

 

Could have added one more rainy day to the record.

[TT-SEA]

Looks like Scott Sistek did a write up on SEA's recorded dry day yesterday:

 

http://komonews.com/weather/scotts-weather-blog/a-record-145-seattle-rainy-days-but-wednesday-wasnt-one-of-them

 

Could have added one more rainy day to the record.

Some dark humor and kind of fun to slice and dice the details of smashing rainfall records in Seattle... also interesting since Seattle is famous for rain already and this is as wet as its ever been. That is why I have been tracking it despite being miserable.

[Front Ranger]

Looks like Scott Sistek did a write up on SEA's recorded dry day yesterday:

 

http://komonews.com/weather/scotts-weather-blog/a-record-145-seattle-rainy-days-but-wednesday-wasnt-one-of-them

 

Could have added one more rainy day to the record.

 

Sistek fails to note, however, that there have probably been more days since Oct 1. where SEA has recorded rainfall but Seattle proper was dry.

 

It can go both ways as far as what the official records say vs. what actually occurred in Seattle, but in general SEA is wetter than downtown Seattle.

[TT-SEA]

Sistek fails to note, however, that there have probably been more days since Oct 1. where SEA has recorded rainfall but Seattle proper was dry.

 

It can go both ways as far as what the official records say, but in general SEA is wetter than downtown Seattle.

Everywhere in King County is wetter than downtown. We get it. I wish that area was rural... I would live there in a heartbeart.

[Front Ranger]

Everywhere in King County is wetter than downtown. We get it. I wish that area was rural... I would live there in a heartbeart.

 

I was making the point because in the article Sistek only focuses on the fact that one day SEA didn't measure precip when downtown got soaked.

[Front Ranger]

12z Euro still looks pretty warm/ridgy for mid next week. The following "crash" is also slower and weaker.

[TT-SEA]

I was making the point because in the article Sistek only focuses on the fact that one day SEA didn't measure precip when downtown got soaked.

Good point.

[BLI snowman]

Now surpassing 150 wet days here since October 1. Good for about 72%.

[Front Ranger]

Another nice afternoon in Seattle.

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Rainy season so far

 

Wet days: 153

 

Oct: 23

Nov: 23

Dec: 22

Jan: 15

Feb: 21

Mar: 28

Apr: 21

 

Precip: 84.81"

 

Oct: 17.01"

Nov: 12.13"

Dec: 8.93"

Jan: 7.78"

Feb: 15.16"

Mar: 15.79"

Apr:  8.01" (As of 7am)

[jcmcgaffey]

Sistek fails to note, however, that there have probably been more days since Oct 1. where SEA has recorded rainfall but Seattle proper was dry.

 

It can go both ways as far as what the official records say vs. what actually occurred in Seattle, but in general SEA is wetter than downtown Seattle.

Actually SEA is one of the driest locations in the Puget sound area. I have actually felt the opposite this year as areas north of SEA have actually been wetter due too convergence.

[Front Ranger]

Actually SEA is one of the driest locations in the Puget sound area. 

 

SEA's long term annual precip average: 38.29"

 

Stations that have existed within Seattle proper:

 

Seattle WB City: 35.93"

UW: 34.11"

Boeing Field: 36.55"

Sand Point WFO: 35.50"

Seattle Urban Site: 37.92"

Seattle Naval Air Station: 34.75"

 

It makes perfect sense, as SEA is often just south of the rain shadow.

[TT-SEA]

Actually SEA is one of the driest locations in the Puget sound area. I have actually felt the opposite this year as areas north of SEA have actually been wetter due too convergence.

 

North Seattle and northward... yes.

 

But downtown Seattle is an absolute sweet spot for sun and less rain in King County.   

[jcmcgaffey]

I was making the point because in the article Sistek only focuses on the fact that one day SEA didn't measure precip when downtown got soaked.

I think he meant more than just downtown as 95% of the Puget sound got rain yesterday but a small 5mile area where the rain is officially recorded. He was just using downtown as an example because of the proximity and difference in rain.

[jcmcgaffey]

North Seattle and northward... yes.

 

But downtown Seattle is an absolute sweet spot for sun and less rain in King County.

I do agree on downtown being the driest part of seattle. Actually northwest seattle steals a little bit from the rainshadow normally but this year hasn't been the case.

[TT-SEA]

I have seen this from several relatives in MN and WI today... and it fits me perfectly by just replacing snowing with raining.     It helps to imagine it being said in Farley's "van down by the river" voice.  

 

[HighlandExperience]

I have seen this from several relatives in MN and WI today... and it fits me perfectly by just replacing snowing with raining.     It helps to imagine it being said in Farley's "van down by the river" voice.  

 

 

 

All the cams in minneapolis are bare. 

[TT-SEA]

All the cams in minneapolis are bare. 

 

It was snowing earlier today in the Twin Cities.. and there could be lots of snow on Sunday into Monday so its being discussed and its all over the news.     

 

My relatives in WI had 3-5 inches of snow this morning and still have snow on the ground this evening.   

[SilverFallsAndrew]

A very chilly 48/39 here today. 0.43" of rain. 

[TT-SEA]

85 and sunny here today... we really love Charleston.   And the history here is fascinating.