PNW March 2023 Weather Discussion (2012 Redux)

[SnowySeeker50]

Breezy and the rain is starting to fall.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Messy commute! 

[Cascadia_Wx]

3 hours ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

March 2008 was very cold up here, as was March 2009. I believe they are tied for 3rd coldest March on record behind 1951 and 2012. 

Despite all the milder weather in the past week, as of today PDX is only 0.3F above scoring the coldest March since 1976, and also dethroning 2002 to break into the top 10.

They would have to average something like 52/36 the rest of the month to make it there. 

[Port Angeles Foothiller]

1 hour ago, Phishy Wx said:

too bad it's cloudy....

 

 

From my buddy in Finland. I’ll be out all night praying for a break in the clouds. 

[Phil]

Jealous of all this fun wx you guys are getting. Like the stars are aligned for greatness in the west this year. 

84°F today  

[TacomaWx]

1 minute ago, Phil said:

Jealous of all this fun wx you guys are getting. Like the stars are aligned for greatness in the west this year. 

84°F today  

The best of this event the next few days will probably be Oregon…they’ve been getting the bulk of the fun weather since the late February blast it seems. Little bit of payback for the last few years. Will probably be fairly interesting up this way too but they’ve probably got a little better shot at some spotty lowland sticking snow than up here. 

[TT-SEA]

Looked like a strong cell moving towards my area but it blew so fast it was barely noticeable... strong wind now.  

The 18Z ECMWF parks the c-zone right over King County tomorrow evening into early Saturday morning.   If it works out this way it will probably mean about 4 inches of snow at my house. 

 

[MossMan]

5 hours ago, ShawniganLake said:

Euro shows some scattered pockets of lowland snow over the next couple of days.  You can definitely tell that people’s interests have shifted to something more warm season based.  This place is much busier with any potential lowland snow in December or January. 

I’m ready for my foot of weekend snow!! 

[GHweatherChris]

I reluctantly raised my winter grade to a D-, had 10" of snow accumulation total but it took 11 events to reach that and none ever stuck around more than a couple hours.  Horrible compared to the last several winters but still well above long term average of snowfall in this area.  Any snow over the next couple days will be spring snow, so it cannot help improve winter score.  But all in all, it was a fun model ride winter with more potential showing than normal, things just didn't line up enough times to make it memorable.

[TacomaWx]

7 minutes ago, GHweatherChris said:

I reluctantly raised my winter grade to a D-, had 10" of snow accumulation total but it took 11 events to reach that and none ever stuck around more than a couple hours.  Horrible compared to the last several winters but still well above long term average of snowfall in this area.  Any snow over the next couple days will be spring snow, so it cannot help improve winter score.  But all in all, it was a fun model ride winter with more potential showing than normal, things just didn't line up enough times to make it memorable.

Yeah that was the story of the winter here in most of western WA south of about Everett. Tons of opportunities but we were just never really in the bullseye. The small snows were fun and stuck around for a couple days here and there…but there was a lot of wasted potential for how many shots we had at something. 

[GHweatherChris]

4 minutes ago, TacomaWx said:

Yeah that was the story of the winter here in most of western WA south of about Everett. Tons of opportunities but we were just never really in the bullseye. The small snows were fun and stuck around for a couple days here and there…but there was a lot of wasted potential for how many shots we had at something. 

Yep, this is the first winter in several years we did not have at least a solid couple inches of snow stick around for multiple days on multiple occastions, oh well.

[Meatyorologist]

26 minutes ago, TacomaWx said:

Yeah that was the story of the winter here in most of western WA south of about Everett. Tons of opportunities but we were just never really in the bullseye. The small snows were fun and stuck around for a couple days here and there…but there was a lot of wasted potential for how many shots we had at something. 

One has to wonder if our ever increasing exposure to internal weather-related information via the internet is warping our perception of just how close we are to recieving snow during many of our winter storms, even when they aren't as favorable for sticking lowland snow as modeled.

Take the current iteration of the GFS, with its worsening phantom snow issues, and put it in a year like 2007-08 or or 1952-53, and this forum would probably feel cheated out of an 1861-62 redux.

[Cascadia_Wx]

2 minutes ago, Meatyorologist said:

One has to wonder if our ever increasing exposure to internal weather-related information via the internet is warping our perception of just how close we are to recieving snow during many of our winter storms, even when they aren't as favorable for sticking lowland snow as modeled.

Take the current iteration of the GFS, with its worsening phantom snow issues, and put it in a year like 2007-08 or or 1952-53, and this forum would probably feel cheated out of an 1861-62 redux.

I was thinking about the same thing. Great point. This should be a featured post.

[MossMan]

It’s here! 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Two lightning strikes very close with heavy snow. Unbelievable. 

[Ken in Wood Village]

With the colder air moving in, we have a couple of thunderstorms!!

[mtep]

Apparently my mom got some snow in sudden valley a bit ago. I said pics or it didnt happen and she said "it stopped" so who knows. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

2 minutes ago, Ken in Wood Village said:

With the colder air moving in, we have a couple of thunderstorms!!

Those strikes were basically over my house. 

[FroYoBro]

8 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Two lightning strikes very close with heavy snow. Unbelievable. 

**** yeah! We all love this weather! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSssSSSDDDDDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TacomaWx]

19 minutes ago, Meatyorologist said:

One has to wonder if our ever increasing exposure to internal weather-related information via the internet is warping our perception of just how close we are to recieving snow during many of our winter storms, even when they aren't as favorable for sticking lowland snow as modeled.

Take the current iteration of the GFS, with its worsening phantom snow issues, and put it in a year like 2007-08 or or 1952-53, and this forum would probably feel cheated out of an 1861-62 redux.

That is true and I admit honestly hadn’t thought about it like that before. We had 4 windows of opportunity this year, Late Nov/early Dec. Then Late Dec, Late Jan, and then Late Feb. You’d figure with how often the upper level pattern was favorable it would have worked out better but we’ve had some good years recently so hard to complain a lot. 

 The 2 events that stung the most was 2/28 then 12/20 was the worst. Low came in a little too far north on 12/20 and the southerlies punched in…and precip cut off just as the cold air worked in. Could’ve been a big 12/26/21 type event for the sound with just a slight adjustment. 
 
Everyone has a different way of “grading” winters and this one gets a high grade from me still despite that. I’m more of a statistical kind of guy, and the overall below normal regime this winter and the frequent snowfalls was cool to me. Statistically it checked a lot of boxes. 

[Anti Marine Layer]

Yes, it's been cold

[Phil]

Front yard cherry blossom erupted just after sunset tonight. Probably about 80% of peak bloom atm.

[Phil]

WTF I can see the aurora!! I thought it was city lights and haze at first.

[Tyler Mode]

If you get clear skies tonight...the aurora are going big time!

[Phil]

Wow it’s visible all the way down to Asheville NC.

 

[GHweatherChris]

1 hour ago, Meatyorologist said:

One has to wonder if our ever increasing exposure to internal weather-related information via the internet is warping our perception of just how close we are to recieving snow during many of our winter storms, even when they aren't as favorable for sticking lowland snow as modeled.

Take the current iteration of the GFS, with its worsening phantom snow issues, and put it in a year like 2007-08 or or 1952-53, and this forum would probably feel cheated out of an 1861-62 redux.

I agree to an extent, but the air masses supported snow here many times but the precip never quite made it here this winter at the right time.  I mostly concentrate on current 925 temps when moisture is available during the winter than basing my thoughts on the models.

925 temps supported snow several times this winter but the moisture just never concentrated enough here, always just north or south of here, proven by less than 10 miles driven north and south a few times to confirm.

[Phil]

And now a lightning show has replaced the aurora as clouds move in from the NW. I’m in awe. Absolutely incredible!!!

Probably the only time in my life I’ll get to see the aurora and lightning at the same time.

[MossMan]

33.9 and snowing. 

[GHweatherChris]

1 minute ago, Phil said:

And now a lightning show has replaced the aurora as clouds move in from the NW. I’m in awe. Absolutely incredible!!!

Probably the only time in my life I’ll get to see the aurora and lightning at the same time.

Pics or video or it didn't happen, you know the rules for you Phil.

[TacomaWx]

2 minutes ago, Phil said:

And now a lightning show has replaced the aurora as clouds move in from the NW. I’m in awe. Absolutely incredible!!!

Probably the only time in my life I’ll get to see the aurora and lightning at the same time.

pICs oR iT DIDnT HaPpeN

[Phil]

1 minute ago, GHweatherChris said:

Pics or video or it didn't happen, you know the rules for you Phil.

I took a video!

[Phil]

And now severe thunderstorm warning.

I feel like a little kid again. This winter did its damndest to ruin my passion for weather, but tonight is making up for it.

Sorry for the spam guys. I’ll stfu now. Lol

[Winterdog]

21 minutes ago, MossMan said:

33.9 and snowing. 

40F and not snowing or even close to snowing.

[AlTahoe]

6 hours ago, Phil said:

Another day in the low 80s.  

4 days ago wind chills were ~ 10°F. Trying to acclimate to the inevitable but mother nature keeps throwing knuckleballs.

I am still about 3 months away from possible low 80's.

It makes sense though as we are on pace to have the coldest March ever recorded. When we are cold your area torches. 

[MWG]

Well I went to watch tv and forgot about all this and just went outside to let the dog out.

[MossMan]

9 minutes ago, Winterdog said:

40F and not snowing or even close to snowing.

Back to 34.9 and a mix now. 

[Winterdog]

5 minutes ago, MossMan said:

Back to 34.9 and a mix now. 

The radar went from snow north and west of me to all rain in like one minute.  

[Cascadia_Wx]

Coast range seems hungry tonight up this way. Down to 39 tho.

[Dave]

36 degrees with partly cloudy skies. Had several graupel showers earlier whenever heavy precip occurred. 

Sad that I've never seen the Aurora. Looks like an incredible storm is underway now. 

[Skagit Weather]

Picked up 0.43" of rain here earlier with a little hail mixed in as the temperature dropped from 51F to 37F. Kind of crazy that that makes it second wettest day of the year here so far.

[TT-SEA]

Zags!   What an ending.  One of the craziest last minute you will ever see.

[BLI snowman]

6 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

Zags!   What an ending.  One of the craziest last minute you will ever see.

Did their best to give that one away.

[Dave]

Just saw a tweet that the Aurora is visible from the Mt Shasta area. 

[MossMan]

Looking at the radar I bet it’s snowing at our family Lake Goodwin house. 
Down to 33.7 here. 

[Rubus Leucodermis]

2 hours ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Two lightning strikes very close with heavy snow. Unbelievable. 

Been a good cold season for thundersnow.

[Front Ranger]

1 hour ago, AlTahoe said:

I am still about 3 months away from possible low 80's.

It makes sense though as we are on pace to have the coldest March ever recorded. When we are cold your area torches. 

Where does this winter rank now for your area, in terms of snow/cold?

[Rubus Leucodermis]

4 minutes ago, Dave said:

Just saw a tweet that the Aurora is visible from the Mt Shasta area. 

Mostly clear in Kamloops right now. Maybe I should get in my truck, start driving, and call in sick tomorrow.

[GHweatherChris]

13 minutes ago, BLI snowman said:

Did their best to give that one away.

But gave their best to win it.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Both Euro and Goofus say a little snow overnight IMBY. We shall see.

 

[Dave]

8 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Mostly clear in Kamloops right now. Maybe I should get in my truck, start driving, and call in sick tomorrow.

You probably just need to go to any location with a clear northern view. Even with city lights, you still have a shot.