April Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[Timmy Supercell]

"On this day" in 2016. This was in the middle of an anomalously warm April and in between multiple thunderstorm days quite a bit earlier than normal for Klamath Falls. Temperature was 36-38 degrees at time of photo. Huge flakes, some I estimated close to half dollar coin sized.

This is my favorite type of snow. You can enjoy the fluffy flakes, sip on red wine and at the end of the day just looks like another Spring day.

 

[TT-SEA]

My hometown... the middle of the afternoon in April and the roads are completely snow covered and it looks like everyone is staying home.  This is in the middle of the Twin Cities area... very populated.   Usually the roads get wet during the day when it snows in April regardless of the situation.   

 

And the 12Z ECMWF shows the snow going through Monday morning now.   

 

[TT-SEA]

I know its fools gold... but this would be so nice.   Guaranteed it disappears before it arrives.

 

[Front Ranger]

SEA is at about 300% of normal for April now... and at +5.50 inches for the rainy season.  

 

We had a slightly drier month in March... endless rain in April is the punishment.     That can't be allowed to stand!

 

Since you like to use SEA to illustrate wetness...

 

SEA was at about 55% of normal precip for Feb-Mar.

[Front Ranger]

I know its fools gold... but this would be so nice.   Guaranteed it disappears before it arrives.

 

 

Nah. Last third of the month will almost certainly be much drier than the rest.

[Jesse]

Wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of locations down here end up above average for April, in terms of temperatures.

 

Above average temp and precip. Basically the worst of both worlds.

[Front Ranger]

BLI, which had a slightly wetter than normal Jan-Mar, is only at 2.31" for the month. Not even close to half their record wettest April.

 

One place seeing a truly impressive wet month to date is Quillayute. They're at 9.21" going into today, about 65% of the way to a record wet April. I think they'll get there.

[TT-SEA]

Since you like to use SEA to illustrate wetness...

 

SEA was at about 55% of normal precip for Feb-Mar.

 

Does that change the impressiveness of April?     Just wondering.   I think that I am being flatironed again!   

 

Anywhooo... SEA is also at +5.50 and climbing for the rainy season as well.   In the big picture... 2017-18 has indeed been wet.   Once again.   

 

And even more anomalously wet in the areas to the north and east of SEA. 

 

And all of this was about April.   This month is clearly meant to completely bury any previous dry periods and get 2018 back on track to being wet for the 5th consecutive year!    

[Jesse]

Looks like another day of drippy, mild conditions with a constant south wind and precip hanging off to the NW. Glad we are getting away to the central Gorge.

[TT-SEA]

Wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of locations down here end up above average for April, in terms of temperatures.

 

Above average temp and precip. Basically the worst of both worlds.

 

Sure feels that way right now.   And I thought April 2017 was bad.  

 

I would pay big money to have had a chilly, dry April.  

[Front Ranger]

Tim is really milking this current wet pattern for all it's worth. Looking closer at the models, I see why. Looks like most places will be dry for most of Wed-Fri, then probably Sun, Mon, and likely beyond.

[Front Ranger]

Does that change the impressiveness of April?     Just wondering.   I think that I am being flatironed again!   

 

Anywhooo... SEA is also at +5.50 and climbing for the rainy season as well.   In the big picture... 2017-18 has indeed been wet.   Once again.   

 

And even more anomalously wet in the areas to the north and east of SEA. 

 

And all of this was about April.   This month is clearly meant to completely bury any previous dry periods and get 2018 back on track to being wet for the 5th consecutive year!    

 

The fact of the matter is that you dismissed SEA's drier than normal stats for Feb/Mar, but now you keep citing them for April or whatever period supports your unending narrative. Inconsistency.

[TT-SEA]

Tim is really milking this current wet pattern for all it's worth. Looking closer at the models, I see why. Looks like most places will be dry for most of Wed-Fri, then probably Sun, Mon, and likely beyond.

 

I am cautiously optimistic, but it seems like everything nice disappears as it approaches or narrows down to just one day.

 

And SEA possibly being in the top 5 wettest Aprils ever by tomorrow (the mid point of the month) is impressive.   That is just a fact... even if the rest of the month was going to be 80 and sunny.

 

And North Bend/Snoqualmie being at 8.06 inches with the wettest April ever being 8.74 inches is impressive.

 

I don't ignore record rainfall.   It is happening despite my hope that it would stop.    

[MossMan]

I would love a big fat mega ridge to pump up right over the top of my house starting tomorrow and lasting through mid May. Who do I place my order with?

[TT-SEA]

The fact of the matter is that you dismissed SEA's drier than normal stats for Feb/Mar, but now you keep citing them for April or whatever period supports your unending narrative. Inconsistency.

 

Holy crap.

 

How many times did I say that it was drier than normal at SEA in that period and wetter than normal to the north and east?   How many times Jared?  50??

 

I experienced the wetter than normal conditions in February... and acknowledged MANY times that it was different at SEA.

 

Now SEA is impressively wet again.   And its close to record wet out here as well.   Should I ignore it?  

[Front Ranger]

Anywhooo... SEA is also at +5.50 and climbing for the rainy season as well.   In the big picture... 2017-18 has indeed been wet.   Once again.  

 

 

Since you're talking big picture now, let's look at the water year region-wide. Looks like Seattle area is just slightly above normal, and pretty much everywhere from OLM south is below normal. That's most the PNW.

 

[Front Ranger]

I would love a big fat mega ridge to pump up right over the top of my house starting tomorrow and lasting through mid May. Who do I place my order with?

 

There's a decent signal right now for ridginess later this month into early May. 

[TT-SEA]

SEA is around +5.50 for the rainy season.

 

That is a fact. WFO SEA is way above normal as well.

 

Those numbers are real. Paint them on a map however you want.

[TT-SEA]

And I have said nothing about Oregon or the entire PNW.

 

It's been very different in OR.

 

Well aware.

[Front Ranger]

SEA is around +5.50 for the rainy season.

 

That is a fact. WFO SEA is way above normal as well.

 

Those numbers are real. Paint them on a map however you want.

 

That's right, Tim. I painted that map. It's not real.

[Front Ranger]

And I have said nothing about Oregon or the entire PNW.

 

It's been very different in OR.

 

Well aware.

 

Well, you say you want to talk big picture but then focus only on areas from Seattle north.

 

You can keep harping on the same points over and over. Other people pointing out that it's a different picture regionally doesn't contradict your point, it just provides different perspective.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Groundhog's Day.

[TT-SEA]

That's right, Tim. I painted that map. It's not real.

Actual numbers at SEA and WFO SEA are meaningless then. Drill down Jared.

[Front Ranger]

Actual numbers at SEA and WFO SEA are meaningless then. Drill down Jared.

 

The WRCC says the Seattle area has been less than 10% above normal precip since 10/1. I believe that's a broader perspective than two stations, which are pretty close to that as well.

[TT-SEA]

So it has been a dry rainy season then? Interesting.

 

SEA is + 5.50 and climbing fast. Fact.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

So it has been a dry rainy season then? Interesting.

 

SEA is + 5.50 and climbing fast. Fact.

 

Good grief how many times can you repeat yourself. 

[Front Ranger]

So it has been a dry rainy season then? Interesting.

 

SEA is + 5.50 and climbing fast. Fact.

 

I see you're joining the word-twister club. I never said that.

[Front Ranger]

Good grief how many times can you repeat yourself. 

 

Heading towards a record month!

[snow_wizard]

Wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of locations down here end up above average for April, in terms of temperatures.

 

Above average temp and precip. Basically the worst of both worlds.

 

Above normal temps would be tough IMO.  Still a putrid month though.

[snow_wizard]

The WRCC says the Seattle area has been less than 10% above normal precip since 10/1. I believe that's a broader perspective than two stations, which are pretty close to that as well.

 

March was very decent.  I was hopeful the entire spring would be like that.

[GHweatherChris]

Good lord x 2

[TT-SEA]

March was very decent. I was hopeful the entire spring would be like that.

I agree. March was pretty decent overall. Nature is sure making us pay for it now.

[stuffradio]

The CPC is finally showing equal chances of precip instead of above normal for the 6-10 and 8-14 day periods.

[TT-SEA]

It is just dumping in the Seattle area now. SEA had .11 in the last hour before the real heavy stuff moved in. Racing towards the top 5. In Bellevue waiting for my son's car now... torrential rain here.

[Front Ranger]

March was very decent.  I was hopeful the entire spring would be like that.

 

Most of the rest may very well be. Couple weeks in April won't define the entire spring.

[TT-SEA]

Most of the rest may very well be. Couple weeks in April won't define the entire spring.

Hope this is true. Very doubtful it really changes until maybe June. I think May might be very wet as well. This Nina is going out with a bang.

[MossMan]

Rain.

[Phil]

Hope this is true. Very doubtful it really changes until maybe June. I think May might be very wet as well. This Nina is going out with a bang.

Is this any different (locally) than the previous moderate niñas that faded to neutral in spring/summer?

 

The most recent examples of such are 2011 and 2012.

[Front Ranger]

Hope this is true. Very doubtful it really changes until maybe June. I think May might be very wet as well. This Nina is going out with a bang.

 

Well, if SEA does make it into the top 5 wettest Aprils...

 

1991 - 6.53 (May had 1.39", below normal)

2013 - 5.89 (May 2.38", wetter than normal, but not by a lot)

1996 - 5.37 (May 2.07", close to normal)

1993 - 4.54 (May 2.86", wetter than normal, but nothing extreme)

1997 - 4.32 (May 1.87", basically normal)

 

No strong signal either way, and not a top 10 wet May in the bunch. 

[TT-SEA]

Is this any different (locally) than the previous moderate niñas that faded to neutral in spring/summer?

 

The most recent examples of such are 2011 and 2012.

2011 went out with a bang. It was cold and wet until the middle of July.