March Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[wx_statman]

Seems like we have just worked our way into a 2011 analog in the last couple months. 

 

2011 was the coldest spring in history in Seattle.     And it rained all the way through June.   So... only 4 months to go until some consistent nice weather.     

 

Hah. But yeah, 2011 has worked out pretty well starting with that mild surge in mid-January. 

[MossMan]

Heavy shower of mixed snow and rain going on here and 37F.

Was the same here at 36 degrees.

[Front Ranger]

2014 also had the wettest March in SEA history, with more than an inch more than the closest competitor. So yeah...wettest March, wettest October, second wettest December, and second wettest February, all in a 4 year period. That will get you some wet years!

 

A record wet May, June, July, August, or September would not make as much difference for yearly precip, but it would probably rate even higher on the TMI (Tim Misery Index), since the normals expect and want those months to be nicer.

[Brennan]

Bryant, Mattias and I went hiking today in southwestern Whatcom County. We started at around 400 feet and reached around 2300 feet . The forest we trekked through on the way up was very dense but it was entirely snow covered above around 1500 feet. By the time we got above 2,000 feet there was well over a foot of snow on the ground. We didn’t bring a yard stick but there was probably just shy of 2 feet of snow in places.

[Deweydog]

Cool tree.

[wx_statman]

2014 also had the wettest March in SEA history, with more than an inch more than the closest competitor. So yeah...wettest March, wettest October, second wettest December, and second wettest February, all in a 4 year period. That will get you some wet years!

 

A record wet May, June, July, August, or September would not make as much difference for yearly precip, but it would probably rate even higher on the TMI (Tim Misery Index), since the normals expect and want those months to be nicer.

 

Be careful not to belabor the obvious. Long-period records (monthly, seasonal, annual) are built on a handful of shorter-duration extreme episodes. The law of large numbers states that most observations will fall closer to the mean. That's just how it works. 

[Bryant]

Cool tree.

The tree stood out amongst the rest in regards to its size and height. Appears to have been there for much longer

[TT-SEA]

2014 also had the wettest March in SEA history, with more than an inch more than the closest competitor. So yeah...wettest March, wettest October, second wettest December, and second wettest February, all in a 4 year period. That will get you some wet years!

 

A record wet May, June, July, August, or September would not make as much difference for yearly precip, but it would probably rate even higher on the TMI (Tim Misery Index), since the normals expect and want those months to be nicer.

Gotcha digging into the numbers! Its been really wet.

[TT-SEA]

FWIW... Sunday still looks nice on the 00Z ECMWF.

[wx_statman]

The tree stood out amongst the rest in regards to its size and height. Appears to have been there for much longer

 

Yeah, you only see twisting like that on really old trees. Really cool.

[TT-SEA]

The tree stood out amongst the rest in regards to its size and height. Appears to have been there for much longer

Looks burnt?

[Deweydog]

The tree stood out amongst the rest in regards to its size and height. Appears to have been there for much longer

Looks like its days are numbered.

[Bryant]

Yeah, you only see twisting like that on really old trees. Really cool.

What causes the twisting? I'm definitely not knowledgeable at all in regards to trees

[bainbridgekid]

Bryant, Mattias and I went hiking today in southwestern Whatcom County. We started at around 400 feet and reached around 2300 feet . The forest we trekked through on the way up was very dense but it was entirely snow covered above around 1500 feet. By the time we got above 2,000 feet there was well over a foot of snow on the ground. We didn’t bring a yard stick but there was probably just shy of 2 feet of snow in places.

Words cannot describe how delicious those hot dogs were after that hike . . .  or how cold my feet were coming down!

[Bryant]

Looks burnt?

It was. Assuming it survived an old forest fire, hence it being so much bigger than the surrounding trees. Just a guess though.

[Bryant]

Words cannot describe how delicious those hot dogs were after that hike . . . or how cold my feet were coming down!

Says the only one smart enough to wear boots . Had no idea we were going to find 2 feet of snow.

[wx_statman]

What causes the twisting? I'm definitely not knowledgeable at all in regards to trees

 

I actually don't know. I remember one of my professors telling me that once. Pretty much guaranteed old growth if you see twisting like that. Apparently it takes a long time to form.

[wx_statman]

Looks burnt?

 

I'm guessing it was spared the axe for that reason, when everything else was logged out in that area. Loggers probably figured its wood was worthless. At least not worth the effort of cutting/hauling it out. 

[BLI snowman]

Bryant, Mattias and I went hiking today in southwestern Whatcom County. We started at around 400 feet and reached around 2300 feet . The forest we trekked through on the way up was very dense but it was entirely snow covered above around 1500 feet. By the time we got above 2,000 feet there was well over a foot of snow on the ground. We didn’t bring a yard stick but there was probably just shy of 2 feet of snow in places.

 

Oyster Dome?

[Brennan]

We started near Cain Lake on a gravel road, then cut off the trail and basically wen straight up te side of the mountain. Ended up somewhere near the circle... probably inside of it.

[TT-SEA]

36 and drizzle here this morning.

39 in the valley... and at SEA.   It was 40 most of the night at SEA.

That clearing in the evening was just temporary behind the main band of precip.   The temp went up from 33 to 36 here overnight.

[TT-SEA]

Morning update from Snoqualmie Summit.   

 

Snow Reporter's Comments

 

March 5, 2018: Good morning, skiers and snowboarders! I'm pretty pumped for the opening bell this morning at Summit Central (only base area open today 9AM-10PM), as we have received 10 inches of cold, blower powder and half of that falling overnight. The weather experts are calling for snow showers this morning, then picking back up again this evening. See on the slopes at nine and always remember to check with the WSDOT for travel conditions!

 

[Phil]

A record wet May, June, July, August, or September would not make as much difference for yearly precip, but it would probably rate even higher on the TMI (Tim Misery Index), since the normals expect and want those months to be nicer.

I lol’ed.

[Poulsbo Snowman]

Words cannot describe how delicious those hot dogs were after that hike . . .  or how cold my feet were coming down!

Looks fun!  Although, I would have left the tennis shoes in the car.

[Phil]

The tree stood out amongst the rest in regards to its size and height. Appears to have been there for much longer

When I visited last summer, it definitely struck me how different the trees’ growing habits are over there compared to here, even amongst the same species. Much more slender and upright overall.

 

I especially don’t know how those tall skinny evergreen trees survive high winds. They look like they want to keel over and break in the slightest breeze, lol.

[TT-SEA]

When I visited last summer, it definitely struck me how different the trees’ growing habits are over there compared to here, even amongst the same species. Much more slender and upright overall.

 

I especially don’t know how those tall skinny evergreen trees survive high winds. They look like they want to keel over and break in the slightest breeze, lol.

 

We have tall hemlocks here that look completely flimsy... but that works to their advantage in the wind. The hemlocks behind our house will bend way over in the wind and then pop right back up when it calms down.

 

They are sort of like a ski slalom pole.

[MossMan]

34 with very light drizzle.

[Phil]

We have tall hemlocks here that look completely flimsy... but that works to their advantage in the wind. The hemlocks behind our house will bend way over in the wind and then pop right back up when it calms down.

That’s interesting. Must be how individual species adapt to that climate. Around here it’s always those stall spindly evergreens that drop first in high winds.

 

Speaking of Hemlocks, this is a pretty sad story out of Mt. Vernon. I remember that tree. One of most beautiful ones on the property.

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Wow, mid 20s at Eugene this morning!

[TT-SEA]

12Z GFS brings back a warm Sunday... agrees with the ECMWF again.   Still not sure it will hold though.    Rain is moving in fast that evening.

 

[Jesse]

When I visited last summer, it definitely struck me how different the trees’ growing habits are over there compared to here, even amongst the same species. Much more slender and upright overall.

 

I especially don’t know how those tall skinny evergreen trees survive high winds. They look like they want to keel over and break in the slightest breeze, lol.

A lot of the firs out here are tall but very sturdy, and there is strength in their flexibility.

[Jesse]

Today was the 15th straight sub-52 maximum at PDX. This is only the 2nd time since 1971 that we've seen such a cool streak of maximums this late into the winter season. The other was in 2011. Both 2011 and 2018 inched past 1993 on the calendar, which had an 18 day streak end on March 3rd.

Looks like today could beat 2011, since it rose to 54 on the 5th that year.

[wx_statman]

When I visited last summer, it definitely struck me how different the trees’ growing habits are over there compared to here, even amongst the same species. Much more slender and upright overall.

 

I especially don’t know how those tall skinny evergreen trees survive high winds. They look like they want to keel over and break in the slightest breeze, lol.

 

There are records of early explorers/pioneers encountering Douglas Firs over 300 feet tall, but only like 3 feet in diameter at the base. Seems weird but these trees pulled it off somehow. And then you read about other Douglas firs that are 6-8 feet in diameter. So it's not even consistent across the species. 

[wx_statman]

Looks like today could beat 2011, since it rose to 54 on the 5th that year.

 

Yep. And if it happens, it will be the latest 16-day streak of sub 52's in half a century.

 

1951, 1955, 1956, and 1960 (#coldphase) all had streaks longer than 16 days later into the spring. Not once since.

[Jesse]

[Phil]

There are records of early explorers/pioneers encountering Douglas Firs over 300 feet tall, but only like 3 feet in diameter at the base. Seems weird but these trees pulled it off somehow. And then you read about other Douglas firs that are 6-8 feet in diameter. So it's not even consistent across the species.

That’s an epic display of aerodynamics right there. If only my 20ft anemometer pole could pull that off, all would be right with my world right now.

[Front Ranger]

Be careful not to belabor the obvious. Long-period records (monthly, seasonal, annual) are built on a handful of shorter-duration extreme episodes. The law of large numbers states that most observations will fall closer to the mean. That's just how it works. 

 

Not sure what the point of this post was, other than to belabor the obvious?

 

I never stated otherwise, just identified the specific months that contributed greatly to the wetness of the last 4 years.

[TT-SEA]

Not sure what the point of this post was, other than to belabor the obvious? I never stated otherwise, just identified the specific months that contributed greatly to the wetness of the last 4 years.

 

I imagine that is almost always the case during extended wet periods.

[Front Ranger]

Now if we could get a 50s/early 60s style summer.

 

1958!

[Phil]

A lot of the firs out here are tall but very sturdy, and there is strength in their flexibility.

So is it the hardwood species that have more problems with high winds out there? I might be a Mid-Atlantic tree wonk, but I don’t know much about the ecosystems west of the Apps, to be honest.

 

I do know that ~ 75% of our jobs dealing with toppled trees involve exposed/solitary evergreens lacking protection from other evergreens. They seem to grow much better in large packs.