December 2018 Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[Gradient Keeper]

Some encouraging things on 00z GFS/ECMWF tonight... Let's see where this goes with 12z runs in 2019.

6z GFS in 2 hours 40 minutes

[Kayla]

Yet another GOA bomb really messes with things...

[Brian_in_Leavenworth]

Day 8

http://maps1.pivotalweather.com/maps/models/ecmwf/2019010100/192/500h_anom.na.png

If that low coming up from the SW were to come in further South, it could draw some cold sir down. Looks like it will just warm things up though, maybe warm rain? Looks like the GFS and the FV3

[Gradient Keeper]

Yet another GOA bomb really messes with things...

Patience

[MossMan]

Beautiful New Years Eve! Clean dogs!

[snow_wizard]

The Euro delivers some pretty cold air late in the run.  Maybe cold enough for snow.

[Jesse]

Yeah...the northern part of Central and Eastern Washington is actually a much colder climate zone than south of Wenatchee or so. The numbers up there are really amazing in a number of ways.

Imo one of the most fascinating microclimates in the state is the Waterville plateau NE of Wenatchee. For not being deep in the mountains that area has an incredible ability to hold onto snow and cold for long periods.

[TT-SEA]

The Euro delivers some pretty cold air late in the run.  Maybe cold enough for snow.

 

Indeed!  

 

Most of this comes around days 7 and 8.

 

14 inches in Bellingham!  

 

[Requiem]

Indeed!  

 

Most of this comes around days 7 and 8...

 

 

Completely misses the Willamette Valley /:

[TT-SEA]

Completely misses the Willamette Valley /:

 

Potential is there... details will change of course.  

[snow_wizard]

The ECMWF also shows temps dropping into the teens from Everett northward late in the run.

[Brian_in_Leavenworth]

Imo one of the most fascinating microclimates in the state is the Waterville plateau NE of Wenatchee. For not being deep in the mountains that area has an incredible ability to hold onto snow and cold for long periods.

Yeah, it is over 2600 feet in altitude, not a lot lower than Snoqualmie Pass. It is a scenic drive up to ot on US2.

[snow_wizard]

Imo one of the most fascinating microclimates in the state is the Waterville plateau NE of Wenatchee. For not being deep in the mountains that area has an incredible ability to hold onto snow and cold for long periods.

 

I like watching that area as well.  It first jumped out at me when I was looking at visible satellite pictures on clear days.  It is so much colder and snowier than surrounding areas.

[snow_wizard]

Completely misses the Willamette Valley /:

 

Every run from here on will have different details.  The screaming message is we have a window once again.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

EUG's record high for the day is 62 set back in 1996. Going to assume there was about a 25 degree EUG-SEA temp gradient with that one?

[HighlandExperience]

Every run from here on will have different details. The screaming message is we have a window once again.

This seems to be the best chance we’ve had all season.

[snow_wizard]

This seems to be the best chance we’ve had all season.

 

January is beginning to look kind of interesting.  Not having a front loaded winter for once probably helps us out now.

[BLI snowman]

EUG's record high for the day is 62 set back in 1996. Going to assume there was about a 25 degree EUG-SEA temp gradient with that one?

 

SEA was 55 that day. The big snow was a bit earlier.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

Every run from here on will have different details.  The screaming message is we have a window once again.

 

Hell, just some consistent cold is all I ask for.  Even if we end up in BSF down here during snow events up north, just some enjoyable nights to sit out and enjoy the crisp air a bit more often.

[Brian_in_Leavenworth]

The ECMWF also shows temps dropping into the teens from Everett northward late in the run.

Thursday 1/10 ar 4AM it shows temps in the 30's along Puget Sound. Upper 20's inland

[TigerWoodsLibido]

Can someone post a regional temp map for that pls?

[HighlandExperience]

January is beginning to look kind of interesting. Not having a front loaded winter for once probably helps us out now.

It be nice to have a cold January for once. January 2012 was the last memorable January to me. If I recall that event was great for Puget Sound.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

It be nice to have a cold January for once. January 2012 was the last memorable January to me. If I recall that event was great for Puget Sound.

 

That was an amazing event for anyone with any elevation in Western Oregon. I had 21" of snow on 1/17/12 and 32" 15-17th. Then we had 11" of rain in 3 days. Very memorable sequence of events.

[ShawniganLake]

Thursday 1/10 ar 4AM it shows temps in the 30's along Puget Sound. Upper 20's inland

[TigerWoodsLibido]

It be nice to have a cold January for once. January 2012 was the last memorable January to me. If I recall that event was great for Puget Sound.

 

Haven't had a solidly cold one here since...the 90s?

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Ensembles continue to improve. FV-3 continues to be chilly. We have a glimmer for January and 2019.

 

Currently 26.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Haven't had a solidly cold one here since...the 90s?

 

2017 was solidly cold at Eugene. Coldest January since at least 1993. 

[TigerWoodsLibido]

29 and nice and crispy out there! 

[Brian_in_Leavenworth]

Can someone post a regional temp map for that pls?

 

 

 

And a closeup of the North Sound.  Temp gradients are not believable (I used to live there).  Sure, I-5 is cooler than the water, but can't believe that Mt. Vernon area would be almost than 20 degrees colder than the Anacortes area, and also colder than the Cascades to the East of Mt. Vernon.

 

[ShawniganLake]

[TigerWoodsLibido]

2017 was solidly cold at Eugene. Coldest January since at least 1993. 

 

I remember the first few days of the month were nice but I don't remember much else in the middle and end of the month. EUG missed out on the big event on the 10th by about 50 miles. Had a few inches on the 7th...an event that tragically missed a bit to the south.

[Brian_in_Leavenworth]

This is interesting.  I don't buy it, the resolution is probably too low, but something for North Sound people to keep an eye on.  This is precip in inches that falls as snow.  This would mean Whatcom County and Bellingham would be buried IF it verified.  

 

 

[HighlandExperience]

That was an amazing event for anyone with any elevation in Western Oregon. I had 21" of snow on 1/17/12 and 32" 15-17th. Then we had 11" of rain in 3 days. Very memorable sequence of events.

Crazy. I also forgot Chehalis had 17 inches of snow.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Crazy. I also forgot Chehalis had 17 inches of snow.

Yeah it was very cold onshore flow down here and then an atmospheric river followed. The flooding on the small streams of the Central Willamette Valley was pretty severe. Turner, Albany, and parts of Salem had some pretty severe flooding. 

 

PDX had 2" of snow with that event when their flow briefly went offshore. Salem and Eugene had about 1" of wet snow. Silverton had about 2", but by the time you got up to 500' there was about 6" and pretty much everyone above that got a foot or more. 

[Frontal Snowsquall]

Goodbye 2018!

 

I'll remember you for the late season modified Arctic Blast that brought not 1, not 2 but 3 separate snow events for my area.

 

I'll also remember the late spring to summer drought and the heatwaves that came.

 

The year ended on a boring note but onto 2019! Here's to a snowy and cold rest of the winter and another warm/hot late spring and summer!

[Jesse]

Haven't had a solidly cold one here since...the 90s?

2017 and 2013 were pretty cold. Honorable mention to 2007 as well.

[Jesse]

[Jesse]

Looks like 1966 will hold its title for PDX December lameness.

[Requiem]

UW/WRF showing some areas of 50-60mph gusts up in the North Interior on Thursday.

 

 

Jealous, this is Seattle's fourth wind event this season.

[snow_wizard]

2017 was solidly cold at Eugene. Coldest January since at least 1993. 

 

2013 was actually the coldest January of this century (so far) for many places around Puget Sound.  It was due to a short lived very minor shot of Arctic air followed by a long period of ridging / fake cold.  2017 was real close though.