March Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[snow_wizard]

Last couple days of March look chilly. 

 

That is definitely something to watch.  Nearly every GFS run either has a cold continental air intrusion or very close to it.

[snow_wizard]

The pattern toward the end of the month has the potential to be a cherry on top as well. Some runs have been hinting at an intrusion of continental air making it in here for another bout of freezing lows.

 

I am really liking the way things are unfolding here.  Certainly reminding me of the mid 1980s in a lot of ways.  This could be one of the more satisfying years in a very long time.

[snow_wizard]

Wow Portland NWS is predicting some big time totals here. Still an hour until the WWA begins, we've had about 1/2" so far.

 

Northern Oregon Cascade Foothills-

Cascade Foothills in Lane County-

Including the cities of Sandy, Estacada, Silver Falls State Park,

Sweet Home, Vida, Jasper, Lowell, and Cottage Grove

320 PM PDT Thu Mar 22 2018

 

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS

EVENING TO 6 PM PDT FRIDAY...

 

* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 8 to 14

inches are expected.

 

* WHERE...Northern Oregon Cascade Foothills and Cascade

Foothills in Lane County.

 

* WHEN...From 10 PM this evening to 6 PM PDT Friday.

 

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel will be very difficult to

impossible, including during the morning commute on Friday.

Expect reduced visibilities at times.

 

You could really get smacked with this.  That shower field is super impressive.

[snow_wizard]

Precip type on the Seattle radar is almost all snow now.  Definitely colder than I was expecting at this stage of the event.

[Jesse]

I am really liking the way things are unfolding here.  Certainly reminding me of the mid 1980s in a lot of ways.  This could be one of the more satisfying years in a very long time.

 

Even UHI afflicted PDX is just a few tenths of a degree shy of recording their coldest average low for March since 1985. The pattern shown on the 00Z GFS would certainly get them there.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Even UHI afflicted PDX is just a few tenths of a degree shy of recording their coldest average low for March since 1985. The pattern shown on the 00Z GFS would certainly get them there.

 

Yesterdays low of 42 at EUG was the first low above 38 there this month, might be the only low outside the 30s they have this month. 

[Jesse]

Yesterdays low of 42 at EUG was the first low above 38 there this month, might be the only low outside the 30s they have this month. 

 

That probably finds them in pretty exclusive company as far as other Marches go, historically.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

GEM is nice

 

[Jesse]

Most coastal locations from Tillamook north are now in the mid to upper 30s.

[MossMan]

35 here.

[Front Ranger]

No doubt this weekend is going to ice it for this month to average solidly below normal for pretty much everywhere in the Western lowlands.

 

3/4 months from Dec-Mar below normal. Too bad January was such a warm turd.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

[Front Ranger]

NWS forecasting highs of 43 tomorrow at Salem and Eugene. 

 

Both would be records. Ballsy!

[Jesse]

Record MIN/MAX for PDX tomorrow is 46 from 1975. Would be tough but it could be close.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Very heavy line of showers coming ashore at Newport.

[ShawniganLake]

Both gfs and gem ensembles look good for the late month trough. Dropping to around -5C

[snow_wizard]

The ensemble is trending colder for late month /early April now.  Another sustained period of -5 and lower with many members.

[snow_wizard]

 

600 feet.  Wow!

 

I have no reason to doubt the snowfall the WRF is showing for the Puget Sound region tomorrow night from a cold standpoint at least.

[HighlandExperience]

600 feet. Wow!

 

I have no reason to doubt the snowfall the WRF is showing for the Puget Sound region tomorrow night from a cold standpoint at least.

That would be amazing

[MossMan]

One month ago today I still had snow on the ground from the amazing stretch of winter awesomeness!

[snow_wizard]

One month ago today I still had snow on the ground from the amazing stretch of winter awesomeness!

 

That reminds me.  I mentioned the LRC indicating we would potentially have another round of anomalous cold in the late March time frame a while back.  Looks like it happened.  The problem with the LRC is knowing which winters it's in effect.

[snow_wizard]

Pretty big amorphous blob over SW WA right now.  Radar indicates there's lot of precip associated with it moving toward the Seattle area.  Some wet snow can't be ruled out late tonight.

[Jesse]

WOW.

 

[Frontal Snowsquall]

The best chance for those living west of the Cascades of seeing snow down to the lowest elevations looks to be Saturday morning. 00z GFS shows snow practically down to sea level just before sunrise on Saturday. Just going to be a question of whether there is enough moisture left before the system moves on through. Anything until then will be a bonus.

 

[MossMan]

WOW.

 

00E14BF6-5D0F-4814-ABB4-8FE9FEEFE7D9.png

Could you post Seattle as well?

[ShawniganLake]

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Really coming down out there. Over 1" on the ground now and up to 1.2" on the day. Temp down to 32.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Wow...

 

.NOW...
At 1110 PM, a line of showers was moving through the Willamette
Valley and producing wind gusts in the 30 to 40 mph range at
Hillsboro, Portland airport, Aurora, and McMinnville. At the same
time a line of showers and isolated thunderstorms was moving
onshore along the north and central Oregon coasts and into the
coast range. In addition, these features have dropped the snow
level below 1000 feet, with a report of snow near Corvallis and
and Oregon Department of Transportation cameras in the coast range
showing snow covering the roadways at Lees Camp and the Sunset
Rest area along Highway 26. This unsettled weather will likely
continue at times through tonight so use caution if you are out
and about.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Corvallis 34 with flurries on the hour. 

 

PDX was gusting to 38.

[TT-SEA]

After we get through 3 straight days of warm front drizzle up here (Mon-Wed) on the 00Z ECMWF... it turns pretty decent and next weekend looks nice.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

About 2" on the ground now. 

 

Now that it is just after midnight and still 32, I have my 19th freeze of the month. 

[wx_statman]

Just ran Eugene's numbers. 

 

Every minimum was 40 or lower from Feb. 4th to March 20th this year. 

 

The 45-day streak was the 7th longest all-time at EUG, and the latest into spring (of such length) since a record-breaking 122 day stretch ended on 3/29/1985. Eugene didn't have a single minimum over 40 between November 27, 1984 and March 30, 1985!

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just ran Eugene's numbers. 

 

Every minimum was 40 or lower from Feb. 4th to March 20th this year. 

 

The 45-day streak was the 7th longest all-time at EUG, and the latest into spring (of such length) since a record-breaking 122 day stretch ended on 3/29/1985. Eugene didn't have a single minimum over 40 between November 27, 1984 and March 30, 1985!

 

Pretty amazing numbers. Interesting 1985 has been showing up. Jim has been referencing that year quite a bit recently. 

[wx_statman]

Pretty amazing numbers. Interesting 1985 has been showing up. Jim has been referencing that year quite a bit recently. 

 

I've noticed. 1985 is actually underrated for how streaky/anomalous it was. Very little in the way of normal at any point that year. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I've noticed. 1985 is actually underrated for how streaky/anomalous it was. Very little in the way of normal at any point that year. 

 

I believe 1985 is the coldest year on record at SLE...

[TigerWoodsLibido]

Still 39 here

[snow_wizard]

WOW.

 

00E14BF6-5D0F-4814-ABB4-8FE9FEEFE7D9.png

 

Payback for April 2014 through most of 2016.

[snow_wizard]

I believe 1985 is the coldest year on record at SLE...

 

Wow!  SEA was colder a number of years in the 1950s, but it was a cold year for sure.

[snow_wizard]

Pretty amazing numbers. Interesting 1985 has been showing up. Jim has been referencing that year quite a bit recently. 

 

The period from Sept 1983 through Feb 1986 is really burned into my mind.  A lot of good happened in that run.

[BLI snowman]

I believe 1985 is the coldest year on record at SLE...

 

Surprised it beat 1955.