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On This Day In History...Major Weather Events in the PNW or West


snow_wizard

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Impressive cold snap in the Intermountain West at this time in 2010-11. Over a foot of snow fell in Burns, followed by readings of -25 on the 31st and -23 on the 1st. Readings on New Years day included -35 in Charleston, NV and -30 in Seneca, OR. Some places in Arizona saw historic cold minimums. The Flagstaff WFO office in Bellemont hit -30 on the 1st, a really impressive reading considering the state record low is -40. A low of -24 at Petrified Forest N.P. came within 3F of the all-time record low for that station, -27 in January 1971 (same cold wave that produced the -40 state record). Prescott Airport fell to 1, their lowest reading since an all-time record low of -9 in December 1990. 

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No. Why would I waste energy trying to provide objective evidence refuting this subjective post, considering you don’t believe I am capable of objectivity? It’s a fool’s errand. :lol:

Then stop making statements you are either unwilling or unable to support. I didn't bring you into this, you did.

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Very nice cold snap around this time in 1951-52. PDX reeled off 6 consecutive highs below freezing from the 31st to the 5th, along with 7.6" of snow that fell from the 3rd-6th. SEA scored a record low on New Years morning with a reading of 10. Sedro Woolley was the big winner in this event. A foot of snow buried the town on the 30th, followed by a low of 4 on the 31st. 

 

That was a really solid winter.  Landsburg had snow on the ground from Dec 30 to Jan 26 and every low was freezing or below from Dec 24 to Jan 19.  Clearbrook had a one foot snowstorm later in January.  Pretty much everybody got a turn that winter.

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Death To Warm Anomalies!

 

Winter 2023-24 stats

 

Total Snowfall = 1.0"

Day with 1" or more snow depth = 1

Total Hail = 0.0

Total Ice = 0.2

Coldest Low = 13

Lows 32 or below = 45

Highs 32 or below = 3

Lows 20 or below = 3

Highs 40 or below = 9

 

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Really you guys...shouldn’t we just stick to “this day in weather history” why does everything have to turn into a debate?

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Elevation 580’ Location a few miles east of I-5 on the Snohomish Co side of the Snohomish/Skagit border. I love snow/cold AND sun/warmth! 

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Really you guys...shouldn’t we just stick to “this day in weather history” why does everything have to turn into a debate?

 

Good point.  I will probably go back through this and clean it up later.

Death To Warm Anomalies!

 

Winter 2023-24 stats

 

Total Snowfall = 1.0"

Day with 1" or more snow depth = 1

Total Hail = 0.0

Total Ice = 0.2

Coldest Low = 13

Lows 32 or below = 45

Highs 32 or below = 3

Lows 20 or below = 3

Highs 40 or below = 9

 

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Really you guys...shouldn’t we just stick to “this day in weather history” why does everything have to turn into a debate?

A year from now we can look back and celebrate the fact this was the day Flatiron cemented himself as the forum's king of the long range hill. Almost as memorable as a 15 degree blizzard in Brookings.

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My preferences can beat up your preferences’ dad.

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A year from now we can look back and celebrate the fact this was the day Flatiron cemented himself as the forum's king of the long range hill. Almost as memorable as a 15 degree blizzard in Brookings.

 

Never said that. Jesse decided to insert himself into the conversation and offer his "opinion" - which was just an excuse to bash me.

 

Memorable stuff indeed!

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Never said that. Jesse decided to insert himself into the conversation and offer his "opinion" - which was just an excuse to bash me.

 

Memorable stuff indeed!

My “opinion” is the same as dewey’s. The post that orginailly started this discussion was part of an ongoing, rather desperate and very transparent attempt at asserting your (nonexistent) long range forecasting prowess over Phil.

 

Now let’s stop cluttering up this otherwise very informative thread.

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My “opinion” is the same as dewey’s. The post that orginailly started this discussion was part of an ongoing, rather desperate and very transparent attempt at asserting your (nonexistent) long range forecasting prowess over Phil.

 

Now let’s stop cluttering up this otherwise very informative thread.

 

How about you stop making biased assumptions and stick to what's actually said? Nowhere have I ever said I'm the best LR forecaster or whatever.

 

I've never been afraid to call people out, and Phil's no different. It's nothing personal, unlike your ongoing, rather desperate and transparent feud with me.

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How about you stop making biased assumptions and stick to what's actually said? Nowhere have I ever said I'm the best LR forecaster or whatever.

 

I've never been afraid to call people out, and Phil's no different. It's nothing personal, unlike your ongoing, rather desperate and transparent feud with me.

You are so full of it. :lol:

 

If you have anything more to say about it please take it to PM. Or at least off of this thread.

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Very nice cold snap around this time in 1951-52. PDX reeled off 6 consecutive highs below freezing from the 31st to the 5th, along with 7.6" of snow that fell from the 3rd-6th. SEA scored a record low on New Years morning with a reading of 10. Sedro Woolley was the big winner in this event. A foot of snow buried the town on the 30th, followed by a low of 4 on the 31st.

That was the 4th very solid winter in a row, too.

 

Nowadays it's a big struggle to get two.

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Another ho-hum 1890s winter, as a major snowstorm began on the 2nd of January in 1895 and carried over into the 3rd for NW OR and Western WA.

 

McMinnville had 14" on the 2nd, Downtown Portland had 15" in a 12 hour period, Downtown Seattle had 10", and Ground Mound had 22" on the 2nd-3rd. The Dalles had a historic storm as well, with over two feet in 24 hours. In Portland, the snow switched to sleet that night and dropped another inch of ice on top of the heavy snowpack.

 

Salem just had a mix with no reported accumulation. 

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A New Year's event that doesn't get much play and I actually do not know a ton about it happened in 1924. Salem's record low for New Year's Day is 5 set in 1924. 5" of snow fell on the 31st and then the first 5 days of the new year had sub-freezing highs. 

Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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That was a great event in late Dec 1923/early Jan 1924. Another one easily overlooked in that era of big hitters. A huge Arctic high slid down the Rockies (30.90" pressure in Baker City). Temps fell to 3 in both Corvallis and McMinnville, with 1 at Wallace Orchard and 5 in Salem. Newport hit 10 on New Years morning which is really impressive. Some other readings were -29 in Deer Park, -24 in Madras, and -14 at Paradise Lodge. Impressive cold in Montana as well. West of the divide, Libby hit an all-time record low of -46 on the 2nd, and Pleasant Valley hit -49 on the 1st. This would have been an all time record, except it was broken later that year with -51 on 12-18-1924 (-49 was also observed in the Dec 1968 cold wave). East of the divide, Kinread hit -53 on both the 31st and 1st. In California, Helm Creek hit -33 on the 2nd. Chico in the central valley hit 15 on the 2nd, one of their lowest readings on record and within striking distance of the all-time record (11 on 12-11-1932). A 3" snowfall also occurred in Chico, one of the greatest on record for that area, with 2" in Marysville. 

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That was a great event in late Dec 1923/early Jan 1924. Another one easily overlooked in that era of big hitters. A huge Arctic high slid down the Rockies (30.90" pressure in Baker City). Temps fell to 3 in both Corvallis and McMinnville, with 1 at Wallace Orchard and 5 in Salem. Newport hit 10 on New Years morning which is really impressive. Some other readings were -29 in Deer Park, -24 in Madras, and -14 at Paradise Lodge. Impressive cold in Montana as well. West of the divide, Libby hit an all-time record low of -46 on the 2nd, and Pleasant Valley hit -49 on the 1st. This would have been an all time record, except it was broken later that year with -51 on 12-18-1924 (-49 was also observed in the Dec 1968 cold wave). East of the divide, Kinread hit -53 on both the 31st and 1st. In California, Helm Creek hit -33 on the 2nd. Chico in the central valley hit 15 on the 2nd, one of their lowest readings on record and within striking distance of the all-time record (11 on 12-11-1932). A 3" snowfall also occurred in Chico, one of the greatest on record for that area, with 2" in Marysville. 

 

I totally overlooked this one.

Snowfall                                  Precip

2022-23: 95.0"                      2022-23: 17.39"

2021-22: 52.6"                    2021-22: 91.46" 

2020-21: 12.0"                    2020-21: 71.59"

2019-20: 23.5"                   2019-20: 58.54"

2018-19: 63.5"                   2018-19: 66.33"

2017-18: 30.3"                   2017-18: 59.83"

2016-17: 49.2"                   2016-17: 97.58"

2015-16: 11.75"                 2015-16: 68.67"

2014-15: 3.5"
2013-14: 11.75"                  2013-14: 62.30
2012-13: 16.75"                 2012-13: 78.45  

2011-12: 98.5"                   2011-12: 92.67"

It's always sunny at Winters Hill! 
Fighting the good fight against weather evil.

 

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The 1920's were a great decade.

 

1921-22: Awesome

1922-23: Awesome

1923-24: Awesome

1924-25: Awesome

1925-26: Total disaster, one of the biggest blowtorches on record

1926-27: Awesome

1927-28: Awesome

1928-29: Awesome

1929-30: Awesome

 

Not as awesome for the Seattle area, though. Every winter from 1923-24 to 1927-28 had less than 8" of snowfall at downtown Seattle, with only 1924-25 exceeding 6". This is a station that averaged 11"/winter during its period of record.

 

The only less snowy 5 winter stretches were 1937-42 and 1943-48.

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The 1920's were a great decade.

 

1921-22: Awesome

1922-23: Awesome

1923-24: Awesome

1924-25: Awesome

1925-26: Total disaster, one of the biggest blowtorches on record

1926-27: Awesome

1927-28: Awesome

1928-29: Awesome

1929-30: Awesome

 

And while 20-21 was a bit of a dud, you also had the mind blowing December 1919 blast and huge snowstorm. I do wonder about the validity of the -24 reading in McMinnville though.

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The 1920's were a great decade.

 

1921-22: Awesome

1922-23: Awesome

1923-24: Awesome

1924-25: Awesome

1925-26: Total disaster, one of the biggest blowtorches on record

1926-27: Awesome

1927-28: Awesome

1928-29: Awesome

1929-30: Awesome

 

And a great decade for summer weather too.  :)

**REPORTED CONDITIONS AND ANOMALIES ARE NOT MEANT TO IMPLY ANYTHING ON A REGIONAL LEVEL UNLESS SPECIFICALLY STATED**

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Not as awesome for the Seattle area, though. Every winter from 1923-24 to 1927-28 had less than 8" of snowfall at downtown Seattle, with only 1924-25 exceeding 6". This is a station that averaged 11"/winter during its period of record.

 

The only less snowy 5 winter stretches were 1937-42 and 1943-48.

 

Goes to show how difficult it is for *everyone* to win in our region. 

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And while 20-21 was a bit of a dud, you also had the mind blowing December 1919 blast and huge snowstorm. I do wonder about the validity of the -24 reading in McMinnville though.

 

I would guess it's probably not valid. Something around -15 is more probable. It seems as though the COOP observer in McMinnville had a penchant for exaggeration during the 1910's-20's, given some of the high temperature records.

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Goes to show how difficult it is for *everyone* to win in our region. 

 

No doubt. 

 

Looking at it closer, though, downtown Portland didn't do all that great for snowfall those winters either. Over 20" in 1926-27, but under 6" every other winter from 1923-28. Certainly some nice Arctic outbreaks, though.

 

The 1908-17 period was pretty even and consistent for both cities. Portland had 12"+ 5/8 winters, and Seattle had 15"+ 5/8 winters, and both of course had the monster 1915-16 winter, followed by the very nice 1916-17.

A forum for the end of the world.

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The 1920's were a great decade.

 

1921-22: Awesome

1922-23: Awesome

1923-24: Awesome

1924-25: Awesome

1925-26: Total disaster, one of the biggest blowtorches on record

1926-27: Awesome

1927-28: Awesome

1928-29: Awesome

1929-30: Awesome

 

Yeah, 8/9 years had solid arctic outbreaks. Several years with several.

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Not as awesome for the Seattle area, though. Every winter from 1923-24 to 1927-28 had less than 8" of snowfall at downtown Seattle, with only 1924-25 exceeding 6". This is a station that averaged 11"/winter during its period of record.

 

The only less snowy 5 winter stretches were 1937-42 and 1943-48.

 

Portland did a lot better than Seattle on the whole from 1917-37.

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No doubt. 

 

Looking at it closer, though, downtown Portland didn't do all that great for snowfall those winters either. Over 20" in 1926-27, but under 6" every other winter from 1923-28. Certainly some nice Arctic outbreaks, though.

 

The 1908-17 period was pretty even and consistent for both cities. Portland had 12"+ 5/8 winters, and Seattle had 15"+ 5/8 winters, and both of course had the monster 1915-16 winter, followed by the very nice 1916-17.

 

The thing is though that the snow stayed on the ground for a long time in most of those years. 4" of snow that stays on the ground for 10+ days, as in January or December 1924, is a lot better than 8" that melts right away.

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The thing is though that the snow stayed on the ground for a long time in most of those years. 4" of snow that stays on the ground for 10+ days, as in January or December 1924, is a lot better than 8" that melts right away.

 

It's somewhat subjective. It's hard for me to call a winter with 3-4" total of snow "awesome", no matter how long it sticks around and gets dirty, but that's just me.

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No doubt. 

 

Looking at it closer, though, downtown Portland didn't do all that great for snowfall those winters either. Over 20" in 1926-27, but under 6" every other winter from 1923-28. Certainly some nice Arctic outbreaks, though.

 

The 1908-17 period was pretty even and consistent for both cities. Portland had 12"+ 5/8 winters, and Seattle had 15"+ 5/8 winters, and both of course had the monster 1915-16 winter, followed by the very nice 1916-17.

 

That stretch did really will with snowy La Nina's. We couldn't go wrong. 

 

I'm always partial to Arctic air though. A major dry blast to me is just as impressive as a foot of snow. 

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Portland did a lot better than Seattle on the whole from 1917-37.

 

You think? Portland definitely did better with some huge events, but I wouldn't say a lot better most winters. Seattle did better for snowfall in 1920-21, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1924-25, 1928-29, and 1934-35. Several other winters where both were very close.

 

Overall, similar average snowfall for both cities over that period.

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I would always take an inch of dirty, crusty, frozen snow over our usual conditions in the winter. Any time.

 

What??   I thought you were a big fan of 9 months of gloom and rain.   Can't come soon enough you say... the sun is too bright.  

**REPORTED CONDITIONS AND ANOMALIES ARE NOT MEANT TO IMPLY ANYTHING ON A REGIONAL LEVEL UNLESS SPECIFICALLY STATED**

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You think? Portland definitely did better with some huge events, but I wouldn't say a lot better most winters. Seattle did better for snowfall in 1920-21, 1921-22, 1922-23, 1924-25, 1928-29, and 1934-35. Several other winters where both were very close.

 

Overall, similar average snowfall for both cities over that period.

 

1919-20, 1923-24, 1926-27, 1927-28, 1929-30, 1931-32, 1932-33, 1935-36, and 1936-37 were all generally colder/snowier for the Portland area. There were still a few events where Seattle did a lot better of course, like November 1921 and January 1935, but it seemed that a lot of the cold spells in that era had more of a backdoor component to them. Lots of +ENSO years in that time period so that's probably why.

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