February Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[Winterdog]

It’s gotten up too 60 up there?!?!?!?!?

You spelled their wrong.

[Perturbed Member]

Very marginal around PDX, needs to be close to perfect to get anything out of this setup.

 

 

[MikeInEverett]

Your kidding just drove home in rain

Saw on a traffic cam. Looked very wet and sloppy but it still counts as snow.

[MikeInEverett]

Seems to me like the thresholds are met, 925 freezing, 850 -5c

Yeah it was raining at my house when I said that so I just assumed it would be nothing but rain tonight. Maybe some spots under the CZ will get lucky.

[Jesse]

Seems like tonight's airmass wouldn't be cold enough for lowland snow anywhere.

[ShawniganLake]

That is good and important to know up here. There is a house nearby with one, and it is pretty big so I assumed it can handle the snow.

 

How fast do they grow?

Depends. But I’ve planted them before and seen 2-3’ per year

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Seems like tonight's airmass wouldn't be cold enough for lowland snow anywhere.

 

I agree. 34 here, but that I think is mostly low level cold, probably due to the remaining snow cover. There were some flurries earlier around 5pm, but everything since has been of the liquid variety. I would estimate the current snow level around 2500-3000'. 

[MossMan]

36 and cloudy currently. 1 or 2” of snow left in areas but I can see about 60% of my freshly mowed grass now.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

34 herre after a low of 33. About 4" of snow left. Shockingly there is actually light/moderate snow falling right now., 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Ensemble mean at PDX drops to almost -5C at PDX around March 14th, a lot of colder members too...

[Geos]

Yeah it was raining at my house when I said that so I just assumed it would be nothing but rain tonight. Maybe some spots under the CZ will get lucky.

 

I did see a few flakes last night, but it didn't last too long.

[Geos]

6z GFS showed lowland snow...

 

 

12z NAM does too - although not as much.

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Dumping snow now. Sticking on the cars and trees..

[Timmy]

Dumping snow now. Sticking on the cars and trees..

here too, not sticking yet though.  I thought the snow level was gonna be 4k ft today?

[Jesse]

here too, not sticking yet though. I thought the snow level was gonna be 4k ft today?

It will be eventually. Right now there is just some cooler air and offshore flow ahead of the next system. Kind of like the setup for the lowlands yesterday morning plus 1,500’.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

It will be eventually. Right now there is just some cooler air and offshore flow ahead of the next system. Kind of like the setup for the lowlands yesterday morning plus 1,500’.

 

Oh yeah. It will definitely turn to rain later and probably melt all or most of my remaining snow pack...

 

Still surprising, though it is in generally just so much easier to get snow here in late winter/early spring and with much more marginal airmasses. I think its due to the systems having weaker onshore gradients. 

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

My brain is smoking thinking how bad I want to be at my cabin. They look to get a huge dump. 16-24 inches predicted is crazy for republic. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

The mountains look to just get buried in March.

 

I think there is a pretty high likelihood we see an anafront at some point in the March 10-15 period. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

My brain is smoking thinking how bad I want to be at my cabin. They look to get a huge dump. 16-24 inches predicted is crazy for republic. 

 

My brain is smoking thinking about how bad I would love to have a cabin or hobbit hole out there someday.

[MossMan]

My brain is smoking thinking about how bad I would love to have a cabin or hobbit hole out there someday.

So much so! One day!!

[MossMan]

The mountains look to just get buried in March.

 

I think there is a pretty high likelihood we see an anafront at some point in the March 10-15 period.

 

Washington mountains should be way above normal and Oregon mountains should really get caught up to normal or higher with a March coming up like this!

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

My brain is smoking thinking about how bad I would love to have a cabin or hobbit hole out there someday.

You can just plan for it man. I waited many Years for it to happen. I want to get dish internet over there so I can watch what's up on a web cam. 

[Esquimalt]

Wow the GFS still looks amazing, the GEM less so.  Hopefully no more carrots, and just some good real stuff!

[Front Ranger]

Oh yeah. It will definitely turn to rain later and probably melt all or most of my remaining snow pack...

 

Still surprising, though it is in generally just so much easier to get snow here in late winter/early spring and with much more marginal airmasses. I think its due to the systems having weaker onshore gradients.

 

Could be, but we're also just seeing a much better pattern for cold air masses now, including onshore.

 

You would definitely have seen a ton of snow with this pattern in January or December. We obviously weren't seeing a tanked -PNA those months.

[bainbridgekid]

Oh yeah. It will definitely turn to rain later and probably melt all or most of my remaining snow pack...

 

Still surprising, though it is in generally just so much easier to get snow here in late winter/early spring and with much more marginal airmasses. I think its due to the systems having weaker onshore gradients. 

This may have to do with the ocean temperatures bottoming out in early Spring. For example, the water temperature in Astoria is only 40.6 degrees right now. Less than 9 degrees above freezing!

 

Even a 2-3 degree difference in water temperature would make a difference to the moderating influence of onshore flow.

[ShawniganLake]

[MossMan]

It appears that the GFS is still spitting out some lowland snow totals for the weekend.

[MossMan]

A867C5BD-EF50-4F4C-B5E1-E37CACF194CC.png

Party at Snowmizer’s place!

[Geos]

There's definitely been cooling of ocean waters right up close to the coast lately.

 

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

Party at Snowmizer’s place!

Dude when I get my house done any one of you guys on this forum are welcome anytime. 

[HighlandExperience]

It appears that the GFS is still spitting out some lowland snow totals for the weekend.

Based on what the euro spit out looks like we are done. It’s been a fun ride!

[Geos]

12z still has the snow there.

 

 

Not often you see a pocket of snow over the ocean south of the low. 

 

[TT-SEA]

Looks like its finally into the 40s at my house and what snow is left is melting.   

[AlTahoe]

We are going to go from no snow all winter, straight into a Blizzard warning. Blizzard warning's are pretty rare for Tahoe. We had one last year and then one back in 2008.

Greater Lake Tahoe Area-Including the cities of South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Stateline,and Incline Village937 AM PST Wed Feb 28 2018...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENINGTO 10 AM PST SATURDAY......BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THURSDAY TO 4 AM PSTFRIDAY...* WHAT...Heavy snow with periods of blizzard conditions expected.  Strong winds and heavy snowfall rates will cause whiteout  conditions with blowing snow. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 5  feet in the High Sierra above 7000 feet, with 1 to 3 feet of  snow around the 6000 ft elevation, including the Lake Tahoe  Basin.* WHERE...Greater Lake Tahoe Area.* WHEN...For the Winter Storm Warning, from 10 PM this evening  to 10 AM PST Saturday. For the Blizzard Warning, from 8 AM  Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday.* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel will be very difficult to  impossible, especially Thursday into Friday morning. Be prepared  for significant reductions in visibility at times. Damage to at  least some trees and power lines is likely.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...This is a life threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel!Road crews and first responders may not be able to rescue you.Stay indoors until the snow and wind subside. Even a short walkcould be deadly if you become disoriented. The latest roadconditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

[Jesse]

There's definitely been cooling of ocean waters right up close to the coast lately.

 

Always love seeing that.

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

 

We are going to go from no snow all winter, straight into a Blizzard warning. Blizzard warning's are pretty rare for Tahoe. We had one last year and then one back in 2008.

Greater Lake Tahoe Area-Including the cities of South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Stateline,and Incline Village937 AM PST Wed Feb 28 2018...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENINGTO 10 AM PST SATURDAY......BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THURSDAY TO 4 AM PSTFRIDAY...* WHAT...Heavy snow with periods of blizzard conditions expected.  Strong winds and heavy snowfall rates will cause whiteout  conditions with blowing snow. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 5  feet in the High Sierra above 7000 feet, with 1 to 3 feet of  snow around the 6000 ft elevation, including the Lake Tahoe  Basin.* WHERE...Greater Lake Tahoe Area.* WHEN...For the Winter Storm Warning, from 10 PM this evening  to 10 AM PST Saturday. For the Blizzard Warning, from 8 AM  Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday.* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel will be very difficult to  impossible, especially Thursday into Friday morning. Be prepared  for significant reductions in visibility at times. Damage to at  least some trees and power lines is likely.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...This is a life threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel!Road crews and first responders may not be able to rescue you.Stay indoors until the snow and wind subside. Even a short walkcould be deadly if you become disoriented. The latest roadconditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

Haha that is amazing. What is your elevation?

[Jesse]

Nice to finally get some decent rainfall this morning.

[Geos]

 

We are going to go from no snow all winter, straight into a Blizzard warning. Blizzard warning's are pretty rare for Tahoe. We had one last year and then one back in 2008.

Greater Lake Tahoe Area-Including the cities of South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Stateline,and Incline Village937 AM PST Wed Feb 28 2018...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENINGTO 10 AM PST SATURDAY......BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM THURSDAY TO 4 AM PSTFRIDAY...* WHAT...Heavy snow with periods of blizzard conditions expected.  Strong winds and heavy snowfall rates will cause whiteout  conditions with blowing snow. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 5  feet in the High Sierra above 7000 feet, with 1 to 3 feet of  snow around the 6000 ft elevation, including the Lake Tahoe  Basin.* WHERE...Greater Lake Tahoe Area.* WHEN...For the Winter Storm Warning, from 10 PM this evening  to 10 AM PST Saturday. For the Blizzard Warning, from 8 AM  Thursday to 4 AM PST Friday.* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel will be very difficult to  impossible, especially Thursday into Friday morning. Be prepared  for significant reductions in visibility at times. Damage to at  least some trees and power lines is likely.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...This is a life threatening situation. Do not attempt to travel!Road crews and first responders may not be able to rescue you.Stay indoors until the snow and wind subside. Even a short walkcould be deadly if you become disoriented. The latest roadconditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

 

Nice, winter finally arrives for you in March!

[AlTahoe]

Haha that is amazing. What is your elevation?

I am at lake level so 6300'. My area does pretty well in these cold storms so I wouldn't be surprised to see 40" by the time it is over on Saturday.

[TT-SEA]

Not sure if this was posted yet... but here is total snow from 12Z ECMWF for Thursday afternoon through Sunday afternoon: