April Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[HighlandExperience]

That’s a fair complaint, but in the context of determining the last snowfall of the season, there’s not much that can be done as far as observations are concerned.

 

Snowshoe and Mt. Washington aren’t reflected on that map either. It’s not designed to capture every extreme microclimate in existence.

Right but the Cascades are not tiny little Mount Washington (which is a tiny blip) Just pointing out that hundreds of miles of terrain is ignored by the map maker.

[Phil]

Right but the Cascades are not tiny little Mount Washington (which is a tiny blip) Just pointing out that hundreds of miles of terrain is ignored by the map maker.

It’s not ignored. There are just no station observations to derive the final snowfall dates for, and nobody lives up there. Beyond the scope of the map.

 

At least people live up at Snowshoe. And it snows there every April. But again, not the point of the map to include that reality.

[ShawniganLake]

It’s not ignored. There are just no station observations to derive the final snowfall dates for, and nobody lives up there. Beyond the scope of the map.

 

At least people live up at Snowshoe. And it snows there every April. But again, not the point of the map to include that reality.

People live at snoqualmie pass too.

[Phil]

People live at snoqualmie pass too.

Snoqualmie Pass has no GHCN-D station with a valid period of record, and is also sparsely populated resort town (like Snowshoe). So it’s not included, and if it were it would only be a dot.

 

If you want a high resolution map depicting seasonal snowfall, I can post that, but what you’re asking for here is beyond the scope of this type of analysis.

[BLI snowman]

People live at snoqualmie pass too.

 

I recall some talk of a trendy little new place up at Stevens.

[Phil]

I recall some talk of a trendy little new place up at Stevens.

Stampede Pass, b*tch. Get it right.

[BLI snowman]

Stampede Pass, b*tch. Get it right.

 

I guess the reason more people don't live up there is because it snows after February 1. A lot.

[ShawniganLake]

Looks like what I would expect to see in November.

 

[Phil]

Since it’s in high demand (and actually possible) here is a high resolution map of USA seasonal snowfall averages using some model estimates.

 

Lots of maxed-out colors over the Cascades. Are you guys happy now?

 

[ShawniganLake]

[Phil]

And here’s that higher resolution map of 2017/18 seasonal snowfall, including a zoomed in portion of the PNW:

 

 

[stuffradio]

IMO, my map is the best. I'm not biased or anything. I just got this working better this morning.

 

 

[TT-SEA]

Stampede Pass, b*tch. Get it right.

 

That was later in your life when the family moved to the Stampede Pass sub-division.

 

Earlier though... you lived in a master planned community at around 4,000 feet in elevation in Skykomish which is west of Stevens Pass.  

[Frontal Snowsquall]

And here’s that higher resolution map of 2017/18 seasonal snowfall, including a zoomed in portion of the PNW:

 

 

This map is inaccurate. It's showing Hillsboro getting over a foot of snow which did not happen and also showing the western side of PDX Metro getting more snow then the eastern side which is also false. They need to change this because when we look back at this winter 25 years from now we will think wrongly of what really happened.

[Frontal Snowsquall]

Somebody long ago said I lived on Stampede Pass. I didn't get the joke then and still don't now.

[MossMan]

Power is out at Lake Goodwin. White caps on the lake. Happy November 10th everyone!

[MossMan]

Somebody long ago said I lived on Stampede Pass. I didn't get the joke then and still don't now.

Ask Phil! He lived the life up there!

[TT-SEA]

The leafing out progression here is visible on the NB web cam...

 

[seattleweatherguy]

I am a software engineer for a large Silicon Valley company.

Awesome! I can't do math, but there are prob other jobs you can work from home at least occasionally

[Phil]

That was later in your life when the family moved to the Stampede Pass sub-division.

 

Earlier though... you lived in a master planned community at around 4,000 feet in elevation in Skykomish which is west of Stevens Pass.

Lol, I honestly don’t remember that, but recalling lies from 8+ years ago isn’t easy. So I digress.

[stuffradio]

Thunderstorm risk on Wednesday?

[Phil]

This is when things get interesting:

 

http://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/solar-cycle-sunspot-number.gif

[TT-SEA]

This is when things get interesting:

 

http://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/solar-cycle-sunspot-number.gif

 

Happened from 1911-1913.

 

1,023 days of dead silence on the sun.

[Jesse]

Happened from 1911-1913.

 

1,023 days of dead silence on the sun.

I’m assuming the Taft era ushered in some of the greatest summers ever overexposed to mankind?

[TT-SEA]

I’m assuming the Taft era ushered in some of the greatest summers ever overexposed to mankind?

 

We already discussed 1911.

 

1912 was not so great.

 

1911 had a beautiful stretch weather in the second half of April... then a fairly wet period in the first half of May... and then summer started for good.   You would have hated July.  

[Jesse]

We already discussed 1911.

 

1912 was not so great.

 

1911 had a beautiful stretch weather in the second half of April... then a fairly wet period in the first half of May... and then summer started for good. You would have hated July.

I remember the 1911 discussion. That July looked great down here. The North Bend data was just a little wonky if I recall.

[TT-SEA]

I remember the 1911 discussion. That July looked great down here. The North Bend data was just a little wonky if I recall.

 

wxstatman chimed in on that... it was a top tier hot July for several stations up here. 

[Jesse]

wxstatman chimed in on that... it was a top tier hot July for several stations up here.

Sure, but the station you were referencing was still obviously overexposed.

[James Jones]

We already discussed 1911.

 

1912 was not so great.

 

1911 had a beautiful stretch weather in the second half of April... then a fairly wet period in the first half of May... and then summer started for good.   You would have hated July.  

 

You would have hated the 1911 warm season. Persistent rain in May, June was mostly socked in with low clouds, the first half of August also looks like it was dominated by a stubborn marine layer, and September was sopping wet and record cold (downtown Portland didn't even record a single day with a 75+ degree high). Only July had persistently sunny weather. It was cloudier than any warm season you've experienced since moving to the area, 2010 included.

[TT-SEA]

Sure, but the station you were referencing was still obviously overexposed.

 

Probably.

 

Here is the data from Portland... there are some hot days in there.   And only .01 of rain so not very wet.

 

[TT-SEA]

You would have hated the 1911 warm season. Persistent rain in May, June was mostly socked in with low clouds, the first half of August also looks like it was dominated by a stubborn marine layer, and September was sopping wet and record cold (downtown Portland didn't even record a single day with a 75+ degree high). Only July had persistently sunny weather. It was cloudier than any warm season you've experienced since moving to the area, 2010 included.

 

We have been through this before.   There is no comparison at all between 2010 and 1911.    Not sure how 1911 could be worse than 2010.   

 

Here is an excerpt from 2010 from the May and June period locally (temp data is missing but its relevant with rain every single day):

 

 

 

And here is 1911 for the same general period:

 

 

 

There is just no comparison.   1911 was about as good as gets in that period... 2010 was the wettest such period in recorded history.

[Jesse]

You would have hated the 1911 warm season. Persistent rain in May, June was mostly socked in with low clouds, the first half of August also looks like it was dominated by a stubborn marine layer, and September was sopping wet and record cold (downtown Portland didn't even record a single day with a 75+ degree high). Only July had persistently sunny weather. It was cloudier than any warm season you've experienced since moving to the area, 2010 included.

Yup. I’d love a repeat.

[TT-SEA]

Yup. I’d love a repeat.

 

I would love a repeat as well.

 

It was a spectacular summer.   Lots of dry days.

 

A couple weeks of wet weather in early September which would have been welcomed after such a long dry stretch and then beautiful weather for the rest of September into October.  Very dry period overall with some focused wet periods to keep it from being too parched.

 

[TT-SEA]

Its become quite a nice afternoon after getting another .50 in rain this morning.   Lots of sun now and very little wind here.

[Jesse]

Its become quite a nice afternoon after getting another .50 in rain this morning. Lots of sun now and very little wind here.

Yeah, today never really looked like a washout.

 

62 here with patches of blue sky, towering cumulus and blooming flowers. Downright Novemberish.

[TT-SEA]

Yeah, today never really looked like a washout.

 

62 here with patches of blue sky, towering cumulus and blooming flowers. Downright Novemberish.

 

I told Andrew over the weekend that Tuesday afternoon might get annoying mild and dry.   

[Jesse]

I told Andrew over the weekend that Tuesday afternoon might get annoying mild and dry.

This would have easily been the most unpleasant day of the warm season in 1911.

[TT-SEA]

Actually looks like Andrew might still be getting showers on the back side of the frontal band... disaster averted!  

 

I assume they are setting up cooling centers around Portland to give people a place to escape the steamy conditions.   If you strenuously exercise and run for miles then you might get warm and even produce sweat.   This climate is way too hot and humid.  

[Jesse]

[TT-SEA]

This would have easily been the most unpleasant day of the warm season in 1911.

 

 

Indeed.  97 degrees in July is nothing compared to this atrocity.