August 2018 Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[jakeinthevalley]

I am subscribed to the Statesman Journal Archives any years in particular where it worse then others?

Don't have a specific year, but anytime from the mid 70's until the late 80's you might find some info. Concentrate on the month of August. I remember it being really bad on my mother's birthday one year. That is August 23.

 

Might not be a ton in the Statesman because the smoke rarely made it there. I lived in Stayton

[TT-SEA]

Ok, well there is also a difference between your area and statements you try to apply to the general area - like "our summer is so fleeting". 

 

And you like to use SEA stats when they suit your points...talking about your local region. You have kind of painted yourself into that corner.

 

There has been an usually large difference between SEA and my area this year.     The last month has been much more typical.    Its not being painted into a corner... its just a fact.     It does not make May and June sunnier and drier here to pretend that we had the same weather out here as SEA.   Or even just the usual difference.   I can't change what happened.   

 

If SEA is as anomalously wet as here then I report it.    If SEA is unusually dry while its still anomalously wet out here then I report that.   That is what has happened in 2018.  

 

How many times have I posted the precip anomaly map for 2018?    It speaks for itself.   It happened.  SEA has been dry overall while it been much wetter out here (compared to the local average).    What am I hiding?  

 

 

 

Our summers are typically fleeting in western WA.      Its a very common sentiment around here.    

[GHweatherChris]

There has been an usually large difference between SEA and my area this year. The last month has been much more typical. Its not being painted into a corner... its just a fact. It does not make May and June sunnier and drier here to pretend that we had the same weather out here as SEA. Or even just the usual difference. I can't change what happened.

 

If SEA is as anomalously wet as here then I report it. If SEA is unusually dry while its still anomalously wet out here then I report that. That is what has happened in 2018.

 

How many times have I posted the precip anomaly map for 2018? It speaks for itself. It happened. SEA is dry overall while it been much wetter out here. What am I hiding?

 

 

 

Our summers are typically fleeting in western WA. Its a very common sentiment around here.

Looks like it's been drier than normal for most of Western Washington.

[TT-SEA]

Looks like it's been drier than normal for most of Western Washington.

 

 

Persistent NW flow.    

 

Certain areas were persistently wet while other areas were persistently dry.    

 

Wet SW flow has been mostly missing this year.   

[Deweydog]

It feels like summer COULD be over in a month or so. This after it starting less than three months ago. That's way less than the 10-12 months experienced by 85-90% of the CONUS.

[Front Ranger]

The PNW typically gets a period of about 3 months (mid June to mid September) where warm weather, sunshine, and generally summery conditions are common. Some years it's a little shorter, some a little longer, but 3 months is a typical summer. That's exactly how long one season is supposed to be.

 

But it's all how you define it. Regardless, in 2018 most places have already exceeded their normal number of 70+, 80+, and 90+ days. So it certainly has not been "typical" for the vast majority of the region.

 

Speak for your little corner Tim, but as you are often reminded, how you feel and what you experience there often is quite different than the rest of the region.

[TT-SEA]

It feels like summer COULD be over in a month or so. This after it starting less than three months ago. That's way less than the 10-12 months experienced by 85-90% of the CONUS.

 

 

People always say that summer is fleeting in Minnesota too.  

[Front Ranger]

Looks like it's been drier than normal for most of Western Washington.

 

And that's for the whole year. 

 

For the warm season that we're discussing, it's been dry everywhere. Extremely dry most places, obviously.

[Front Ranger]

People always say that summer is fleeting in Minnesota too.  

 

Several people on here (besides Jesse) have expressed recently that they are tired of the heat. With still a month+ of summer left! 

[TT-SEA]

The PNW typically gets a period of about 3 months (mid June to mid September) where warm weather, sunshine, and generally summery conditions are common. Some years it's a little shorter, some a little longer, but 3 months is a typical summer. That's exactly how long one season is supposed to be.

 

But it's all how you define it. Regardless, in 2018 most places have already exceeded their normal number of 70+, 80+, and 90+ days. So it certainly has not been "typical" for the vast majority of the region.

 

Speak for your little corner Tim, but as you are often reminded, how you feel and what you experience there often is quite different than the rest of the region.

 

 

Again Jared... my comments are in relation to normal.   There is always a difference... it has just been more dramatic than usual this year.   In terms of normal.    Why is that hard to understand?   

 

I get it.   Much of the region has been extremely hot and dry since May compared to normal.    

  

The last 5 weeks or so have been just as unusually hot and dry here as the rest of the region.   It has been nice to join in the fun!  

[TT-SEA]

Several people on here (besides Jesse) have expressed recently that they are tired of the heat. With still a month+ of summer left! 

 

 

I am sort of tired of the heat and now the smoke as well.    Its like summer is being stolen... just like if it was raining and cold.  

 

I would love a blue sky and temps in the upper 70s every day... some normal summer weather!  

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Summer is going to come in at about 6 months this year.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I am sort of tired of the heat and now the smoke as well.    Its like summer is being stolen... just like if it was raining and cold.  

 

I would love a blue sky and temps in the upper 70s every day... some normal summer weather!  

 

Yeah it doesn't feel like the PNW this year and last summer either. I've been a little soured on our region. 

 

I did end up turning down the opportunity in Lubbock, but they re-approached me about a job in Dallas. I'm also in the interview process for a new job in this area. My choice will probably come down to whether or not I get offered that one. 

[TT-SEA]

Summer is going to come in at about 6 months this year.

 

From Seattle southward for sure.   

 

But it would have to go through mid-October and that is not too likely.

[TT-SEA]

Yeah it doesn't feel like the PNW this year and last summer either. I've been a little soured on our region. 

 

I did end up turning down the opportunity in Lubbock, but they re-approached me about a job in Dallas. I'm also in the interview process for a new job in this area. My choice will probably come down to whether or not I get offered that one. 

 

 

On the drive home... we were saying that we could actually live in the Lake of the Ozarks area.    That was very surprising to us.   

 

Its really scenic... wooded and very hilly with lots of bluffs and water.     They have long, warm summers with lots of thunderstorms and winter is much more tame than in Minnesota.   

 

And real estate is so much cheaper.    You can find a 4,000 square foot home on the lake for under $600,000.    We could live debt free there!   

 

The exact same house on the lake there for $500,000 would probably cost $5 million on Lake Washington or Lake Sammamish.  

 

Example... this would be at least $3 million here but its only $479K there.  

 

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/218010625_zpid/2-_beds/366000-716000_price/1460-2856_mp/globalrelevanceex_sort/38.203318,-92.683668,38.125172,-92.831297_rect/12_zm/

[Front Ranger]

On the drive home... we were saying that we could actually live in the Lake of the Ozarks area.    That was very surprising to us.   

 

Its really scenic... wooded and very hilly with lots of bluffs and water.     They have long, warm summers with lots of thunderstorms and winter is much more tame than in Minnesota.   

 

And real estate is so much cheaper.    You can find a 4,000 square foot home on the lake for under $600,000.    We could live debt free there!   

 

The exact same house on the lake there for $500,000 would probably cost $5 million on Lake Washington or Lake Sammamish.  

 

Example... this would be at least $3 million here but its only $479K there.  

 

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/218010625_zpid/2-_beds/366000-716000_price/1460-2856_mp/globalrelevanceex_sort/38.203318,-92.683668,38.125172,-92.831297_rect/12_zm/

 

You also didn't experience their typical mid-summer weather.   Much cooler and less humid than normal.

 

You'd also be looking at 100+ miles to the nearest big city.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

On the drive home... we were saying that we could actually live in the Lake of the Ozarks area.    That was very surprising to us.   

 

Its really scenic... wooded and very hilly with lots of bluffs and water.     They have long, warm summers with lots of thunderstorms and winter is much more tame than in Minnesota.   

 

And real estate is so much cheaper.    You can find a 4,000 square foot home on the lake for under $600,000.    We could live debt free there!   

 

The exact same house on the lake there for $500,000 would probably cost $5 million on Lake Washington or Lake Sammamish.  

 

Example... this would be at least $3 million here but its only $479K there.  

 

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/218010625_zpid/2-_beds/366000-716000_price/1460-2856_mp/globalrelevanceex_sort/38.203318,-92.683668,38.125172,-92.831297_rect/12_zm/

 

That is kind of expensive for Missouri . 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

You also didn't experience their typical mid-summer weather.   Much cooler and less humid than normal.

 

You'd also be looking at 100+ miles to the nearest big city.

 

Very true. My friend in Tulsa was telling me how nice it was, and my ex-wife took the kids to the zoo Monday because it was so pleasant. 

[TT-SEA]

You also didn't experience their typical mid-summer weather.   Much cooler and less humid than normal.

 

You'd also be looking at 100+ miles to the nearest big city.

 

 

The second half of our week was pretty typical... around 90 and humid.    But you can live on the lake!     

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Over regulation has caused west coast real estate to become exorbitant. My wife wants to keep our current house if we go to Dallas and just rent there...But I am leaning towards selling and just buying a nice place with cash for about 300K. 

 

https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/83725972_zpid/3-_beds/250000-350000_price/997-1396_mp/3000-_size/globalrelevanceex_sort/33.211978,-96.557808,32.793913,-97.052193_rect/10_zm/

[Front Ranger]

The second half of our week was pretty typical... around 90 and humid.    But you can live on the lake!     

 

Hey, if you can work remotely and don't mind being far from the amenities that a major city offers, go for it.

[Phil]

Either move or stop complaining about it, man. One Phil is more than enough.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Tim is moving to rural Missouri. Interesting.

[TT-SEA]

Hey, if you can work remotely and don't mind being far from the amenities that a major city offers, go for it.

 

 

It does not really feel isolated... despite being 3 hours from a major city.   

 

There are 70,000 homes on the lake itself and most are permanent residents.  There is lots to do there with many restaurants and all the typical amenities of the suburbs.   Winter would be sort of quiet though.   And the stereotype is that its the backwoods with lots of hillbillies but it did not feel like that at all.     

 

The main draw would be living on the water in a nice house with no mortgage... and no traffic and all the other bad parts of large urban areas.  

[TT-SEA]

Tim is moving to rural Missouri. Interesting.

 

 

We are probably not moving.   At least not any time soon.

 

But we were very surprised at how much we liked it there.    With our jobs... we could really live anywhere.  

[SilverFallsAndrew]

We are probably not moving.   At least not any time soon.

 

But we were very surprised at how much we liked it there.    With our jobs... we could really live anywhere.  

 

That is great. I remember 15 years ago they were saying in the future everyone would be working from home. Telecommuting was the term back then. Didn't quite work out that way though. 

[High Desert Mat!]

Yeah it doesn't feel like the PNW this year and last summer either. I've been a little soured on our region.

 

I did end up turning down the opportunity in Lubbock, but they re-approached me about a job in Dallas. I'm also in the interview process for a new job in this area. My choice will probably come down to whether or not I get offered that one.

Dallas huh? The bright side of that to me would be the zr that they get in the winter. Freezing rain always fascinates me. Here in Redmond we may get it once a year but it goes away pretty quick. It's fleeting. About 3 years ago we had zr at 19 degrees and it was epic. There's not that many trees here that hang over lines so we didn't lose power but what a night. When I lived over in NE Pdx the best one was of the winter of 03'-04'. It lasted for days it seemed like with those screaming east winds. I love a good snowstorm but zr is extreme.

[TT-SEA]

That is great. I remember 15 years ago they were saying in the future everyone would be working from home. Telecommuting was the term back then. Didn't quite work out that way though. 

 

 

Its not feasible for many types of jobs.  

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Its not feasible for many types of jobs.  

 

Also very dangerous for employees who are not self directed. I had to crack down on working from home a couple years ago. To many people were telling me they were going to work from home and then had nothing to show for it. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

PDX overachieves with a 90. 

[Deweydog]

89 is the new 90.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

TigerWoodsLibido you are like my favorite poster on here so glad to hear you are doing well. 

 

I know you are a big college BB fan. Maybe we can catch a ducks game this year. I usually go to 3-4 a season. 

 

My GF is going to try to get me to one of all 4 Oregon D1 teams' OOC games. Oregon, Beavers, Portland Pilots, and Portland St Vikings. Would love to see you there.

 

Thanks for the kind words.  Hope your summer is going well, and you're able to stay cool.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

Orange and smoky outside my hospital window.  But nice and cool in here. I want to say I'm excited for fall/winter but I feel like there's a decent chance it will be very boring again. I'd love to be wrong.

[MossMan]

The sun is struggling to shine through the smoke here in La Connor.

[Farmboy]

Orange and smoky outside my hospital window.  But nice and cool in here. I want to say I'm excited for fall/winter but I feel like there's a decent chance it will be very boring again. I'd love to be wrong.

I'm betting there'll be a lot of southerly flow to discuss!

[Guest happ]

I'm betting there'll be a lot of southerly flow to discuss!

 

Really? DUH

[Front Ranger]

So PDX must wait a bit for the record...

 

SEA hit 85+ for the 28th time this year today. In 2015, they had 26 all year, and I believe that was the previous record.

[Deweydog]

Last 89 of the summer today?

[TT-SEA]

Sort of appropriate that the NWS abbreviation for smoke in the observations is "FU".    

 

Feels like nature is saying that to us right now.

[TT-SEA]

Check out the HRRR smoke loop... the storm moving into Iowa tomorrow morning has smoke completely wrapped around it and moving counter-clockwise like clouds.   

 

https://rapidrefresh.noaa.gov/hrrr/HRRRsmoke/jsloopLocalDiskDateDomainZipTZA.cgi?dsKeys=hrrr_smoke:&runTime=2018081600&plotName=trc1_int&fcstInc=60&numFcsts=37&model=hrrr&ptitle=HRRR-Smoke%20Model%20Fields%20-%20Experimental&maxFcstLen=36&fcstStrLen=-1&resizePlot=1&domain=full