April Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[MossMan]

My driveway is underwater. Rain.

[TT-SEA]

My driveway is underwater. Rain.

 

 

Only some light drizzle in Silver Falls, OR today.   You are hallucinating.    

[VancouverIslandSouth]

Couldn't be more opposite here. Only one small section of Vancouver Island is abnormally dry, not near record breaking dry for March. http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/programs-and-services/drought-watch/canadian-drought-monitor/?id=1463575104513

 

The drought index is only capturing the season there, overall this winter has been normal-to-above normal in terms of rainfall. March was very abnormal here with only 0.6" of rain. So far April is running above normal, it's already exceeded last April's rainfall. Still, most days this month have ended looking like this:

 

 

Spring perfection!

[Jesse]

Thank God next weekend is looking nice right now. Today was the third consecutive weekend day to be a total washout. I don't care if I get totally soaked to the bone tomorrow. I have got to get some stuff done outside. I absolutely hate spring in this area my least favorite season by far.

I think you just hate all seasons here these days. Not very healthy.

[Jesse]

Finally raining here. It was getting pretty old watching that front sit to our NW the last 36 hours.

 

There is that really fragrant, flowery smell outside right now that sometimes comes with rain this time of year. Very nice.

[TT-SEA]

I think you just hate all seasons here these days. Not very healthy.

 

He said that he really enjoyed last summer.     

 

And he generally liked a good deal of this past winter.   

[VancouverIslandSouth]

Getting some heavy showers this evening. Looks strange on the radar with the disconnect from the band that's been sitting over Seattle all day, but clearly not the northern edge of a shadow.

[TT-SEA]

The drought index is only capturing the season there, overall this winter has been normal-to-above normal in terms of rainfall. March was very abnormal here with only 0.6" of rain. So far April is running above normal, it's already exceeded last April's rainfall. Still, most days this month have ended looking like this:

 

 

 

Spring perfection!

 

Its like you live in an entirely different part of the world there.   Nothing looks familiar to me at all.   When other people post pics from western WA and OR... it is immediately identifiable to me.   You area truly looks like central CA which is probably because it is normally so much drier there.   All of your trees look like the drought-tolerant CA-type vegetation.

[VancouverIslandSouth]

Finally raining here. It was getting pretty old watching that front sit to our NW the last 36 hours.

 

There is that really fragrant, flowery smell outside right now that sometimes comes with rain this time of year. Very nice.

 

Spring gets a bad wrap around here, but it's perhaps our most aesthetically appealing season (a lush landscape with snow-covered mountains). Also, the best season for air quality.

[TT-SEA]

The 00Z ECMWF says that we are about to be rewarded nicely for our record setting rain in the first half of April.   

 

But I don't trust the ECMWF like I used to... it has had some major failures lately.   And it seems like the default is definitely troughy and wet.    This seems way too benign.   

 

[TT-SEA]

Spring gets a bad wrap around here, but it's perhaps our most aesthetically appealing season (a lush landscape with snow-covered mountains). Also, the best season for air quality.

 

We were talking about that this week... spring is probably the most visually appealing season.    Particularly late April and May when its at least half-way decent.  

[TT-SEA]

It has been raining fairly hard here for 60+ hours straight now.

 

Its getting a little surreal for April.    

[VancouverIslandSouth]

Its like you live in an entirely different part of the world there.   Nothing looks familiar to me at all.   When other people post pics from western WA and OR... it is immediately identifiable to me.   You area truly looks like central CA which is probably because it is normally so much drier there.   All of your trees look like the drought-tolerant CA-type vegetation.

 

Most of the large native trees in this area are garry oaks with a few douglas firs/cedars mixed in the bunch. There are garry oak meadows in other parts of the PNW, particularly places with good drainage and limited spring/summer cloud cover. They thrive in warm dry-summers where other native trees like cedars suffer. 

 

[TT-SEA]

Most of the large native trees in this area are garry oaks with a few douglas firs/cedars mixed in the bunch. There are garry oak meadows in other parts of the PNW, particularly places with good drainage and limited spring/summer cloud cover. They thrive in warm dry-summers where other native trees like cedars suffer.

 

It does not look like anywhere in the Seattle area. Or Bellingham which is not that far away from you.

[VancouverIslandSouth]

It does not look like anywhere in the Seattle area. Or Bellingham which is not that far away from you.

 

There are only a few remaining pockets of true garry oak meadow, and it seems like factors beyond just rainfall play a role. Mount Douglas is just a few miles NE of here and better matches the "typical" PNW scenery:

 

http://www.ourbc.com/travel_bc/bc_cities/the_islands/greater_victoria/photos/saanich/mount_douglas_02_640.jpg

 

 

It's also illegal to cut down garry oaks that are any larger than 6ft tall here, so they will only become more prominent in the landscape going forward.

[Jesse]

It does not look like anywhere in the Seattle area. Or Bellingham which is not that far away from you.

Apparently you have never been to Sequim, or Whidbey Island, or parts of the San Juans. The Olympic rain shadow is at its strongest through there.

 

It’s totally different than central CA too. Basically just a slightly drier version of the normal west side climate/vegetation.

[Dan the Weatherman]

Thank God next weekend is looking nice right now.  Today was the third consecutive weekend day to be a total washout.  I don't care if I get totally soaked to the bone tomorrow.  I have got to get some stuff done outside.  I absolutely hate spring in this area my least favorite season by far.

 

I wish you could send some of your rain down here to southern California, where we have been really dry for much of this fall and winter.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Our turn to get wet now.

[TT-SEA]

Apparently you have never been to Sequim, or Whidbey Island, or parts of the San Juans. The Olympic rain shadow is at its strongest through there.

 

It’s totally different than central CA too. Basically just a slightly drier version of the normal west side climate/vegetation.

 

Ahhhh yes... it does remind me of San Juan Island.  

 

We have been to Victoria several times and drove up to Butchart Gardens and don't remember it looking so different.     It must be just the very east side of Victoria.

 

I did a street view... here is the road between Victoria and Burchart and it looks just like driving around here.   This looks quite different than VSI's area.

 

[TT-SEA]

Officially the 4th wettest April in history at SEA now... being padded with the overnight rain.   Looks like the rain has dwindled to drizzle there now with just .01 last hour.

 

Drizzle here too... this will probably go most of the day before the rain really picks up again tonight and tomorrow.  

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I heard it rained in Seattle yesterday? Can someone please confirm?!

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Beautiful morning, best time of the year.

[TT-SEA]

I heard it rained in Seattle yesterday? Can someone please confirm?!

 

Its been raining almost all of April up here... does not get any wetter for the first half of April. 

 

[TT-SEA]

I heard it rained in Seattle yesterday? Can someone please confirm?!

 

And yes... it did rain a little yesterday.

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Long term trends indicate drier, warmer weather may be on the horizon. 

[Jesse]

Long term trends indicate drier, warmer weather may be on the horizon.

Gross.

[TT-SEA]

Wide spread drizzle up here today... the radar looks much quieter but today is actually uglier than the last 2 days.   Visibility is very low with thick mist.   This is the break as it really picks up again this evening through Tuesday.  

 

Its been raining pretty much non-stop for 72 hours now here... probably another 48 hours to go.   

 

After maybe 120 hours on non-stop precipitation... it will be nice to have a break on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday.   Can't wait!   I will take what I can get this spring.   

[GHweatherChris]

Wow, I did not know there were that many ways to say the same thing over and over again.

[TT-SEA]

Wow, I did not know there were that many ways to say the same thing over and over again.

Each day is unique. Still sopping wet but unique!

[Phil]

Lol. Tim really hates rain.

[Farmboy]

Gross.

 

Yeah, too bad the sun has to come out at all...  I wish it would stay miserable all summer, but colder though, nothing better than misery heaped on top of misery....

[TT-SEA]

Lol. Tim really hates rain.

 

I really don't like excessive rain.    Its pretty surreal to have rain with no break for days on end in April.   But it is happening.

 

This appears to be the wettest April ever out here... even if the rest of the month was dry.   It is what it is.   

[TT-SEA]

Picture from a friend on facebook in the Twin Cities...

 

[MossMan]

Gross weekend.

[TT-SEA]

One more... from another friend.

 

[TT-SEA]

Gross weekend.

 

Beautiful day today... nice break from the heavy rain.    

 

[Phil]

Tim’s spring:

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I really don't like excessive rain.    Its pretty surreal to have rain with no break for days on end in April.   But it is happening.

 

This appears to be the wettest April ever out here... even if the rest of the month was dry.   It is what it is.   

 

Are you kidding. LOL. Wet April's are not uncommon. Also Snoqualmie Falls record is almost 9", what are you at now? It is likely given your location your record is several inches higher than that site. You are about 700' higher than that site, and average 20-25" a year more precip annually.

[TT-SEA]

Are you kidding. LOL. Wet April's are not uncommon. Also Snoqualmie Falls record is almost 9", what are you at now? It is likely given your location your record is several inches higher than that site. You are about 700' higher than that site, and average 20-25" a year more precip annually.

 

Dude... follow along.    

 

Snoqualmie is now at 9.37 inches... which probably breaks their record for the wettest April ever (it was 8.74 inches in 1899). 

 

Up here... almost up to 13 inches on the month now.     The record at Palmer (at my elevation) is 12.89 inches in 1937.    

 

Over a foot of rain in 2 weeks in April is extreme even for here.    April can be a wet month... but this one is likely the wettest ever out here.   And there is significant rain coming over the next 2 days.   

 

And it had rained on 14 out of 15 days.    Normally there are 14 dry days in April out here.    This is not just a typical April.    People love to talk about record and stats on here... and this is one for the record books.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Dude... follow along.    

 

Snoqualmie is now at 9.37 inches... which probably breaks their record for the wettest April ever (it was 8.74 inches in 1899). 

 

Up here... almost up to 13 inches on the month now.     The record for Palmer at Palmer (at my elevation) is 12.89 inches in 1937.    

 

Over a foot of rain in 2 weeks in April is extreme even for here.    April can be a wet month... but this one is likely the wettest ever out here.   And there is significant rain coming over the next 2 days.

 

How come the Snoqualmie Falls station doesn't report temperature data anymore? At least there is no recent temp data available on the Utah State site. 

 

And thanks for sharing more relevant stats to your location. Yes, it has been wet, even here, but nicer weather is coming, so take a Valium and settle down.