January 2019 Weather in the Pacific Northwest

[El_Nina]

You and me both brother.

Have you noticed that it feels weird when you end up with a below average temp departure for a month in the past 5 years? It's even weird to get a month that isnt top 10 warmest! That's what's weird and I dont know why nobody else has said it yet. These past 5 years have been extremely warm, even worldwide! If things don't reverse soon, we will actually be in trouble.

[Geos]

We are prob running out of moisture

Keep your fingers crossed for a CZ later. It could really dump if it's a full blown one.

[TT-SEA]

Keep your fingers crossed for a CZ later. It could really dump if it's a full blown one.

Too much SW flow for a strong c-zone.

[seattleweatherguy]

Too much SW flow for a strong c-zone.

So we need a weaker sw flow for a strong c zone or any c zone

[MikeInEverett]

Drove to Index to get my snow fix after the rain/snow mix tease earlier. Turned around when the roads started to get bad but I at least got to see some legit snow.

[TT-SEA]

So we need a weaker sw flow for a strong c zone or any c zone

We need strong west flow... too much SW flow and there is no convergence to be had... at least not in the Seattle area.

[Frontal Snowsquall]

Our trees are bigger.

And better.

Unfortunately so are our mountains.

[ShawniganLake]

Fact is... it's just been much wetter up here and in southern BC. While Oregon and SW WA are still running dry.

 

The beat goes on. We don't have any drought worries and some dry weather sounds nice.

 

Different weather... different perspectives

16.5” here over the last month is about as wet as it gets. Shawnigan Lake is probably about 1ft away from the highest I’ve ever seen it. Looks like a few flooded properties.

[MossMan]

I sure wish this old pic had a date stamp somewhere on it...view from the family lake house deck looking out at the lake...it’s been in the family since 1958...possibly from the 68/69 event?

 

I remember being a stupid kid and walking way out on the lake on several occasions when my parents were not looking in the late 80’s/early 90’s!

 

Edit...can’t be 68/69 since no snow on the ground...just COLD!

[El_Nina]

I sure wish this old pic had a date stamp somewhere on it...view from the family lake house deck looking out at the lake...it’s been in the family since 1958...possibly from the 68/69 event?

I remember being a stupid kid and walking way out on the lake on several occasions when my parents were not looking in the late 80’s/early 90’s!

Edit...can’t be 68/69 since no snow on the ground...just COLD!

What lake?

[HighlandExperience]

Keep your fingers crossed for a CZ later. It could really dump if it's a full blown one.

The free euro site shows 1-3 inches for King County east of 167 tonight. I’m pretty skeptical. Can someone post the weather bell snowfall map?

[ShawniganLake]

I savilate over the idea of another January 1969.

 

I agree that somebody in the CONUS is going to get pounded hard.

EPS, GEFS, GEPS are starting to come into agreement on building the west coast ridge, with a possible -EPO signal. Big cold potential upcoming for central and eastern North America

[ShawniganLake]

The free euro site shows 1-3 inches for King County east of 167 tonight. I’m pretty skeptical. Can someone post the weather bell snowfall map?

Most of the precip falls prior to 10pm. Looks more scattered and lighter overnight

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

EPS, GEFS, GEPS are starting to come into agreement on building the west coast ridge, with a possible -EPO signal. Big cold potential upcoming for central and eastern North America

 

If I am lucky maybe we'll get a nice arctic front when I am out in Oklahoma later this month. There was a great arctic frontal passage when I was out there in December 2016. Temp went from low 50s mid-afternoon to 8 by midnight. 

[El_Nina]

Radar says it's snowing here, it's wrong

Just some more 36 degree mix.

[Bryant]

Stayed up until 3am to watch a couple sloppy flakes fly in a heavier shower. I'm desperate

[MossMan]

Sloppy trace of snowfall accumulation on the deck that is melting fast...34 degrees.

[MossMan]

What lake?

Lake Goodwin in northern Snohomish Co.

[MossMan]

How much snow did you end up with Jake?

[Geos]

Radar pretty clear this morning. Was nice to see the snow in the air at least.

[Blizzard777]

Delayed but not denied. The SSW is what gives me confidence we could have another late season cold snap.

Denied = climatology

[GHweatherChris]

Got about a 1/4 inch.

[TT-SEA]

40 in North Bend this morning... I assume the wind picked up and the snow that fell is melting at home.  

 

The Snoqualmie Ridge exit on I-90 was snow covered last night but all clear this morning...

 

[Frontal Snowsquall]

EPS, GEFS, GEPS are starting to come into agreement on building the west coast ridge, with a possible -EPO signal. Big cold potential upcoming for central and eastern North America

I'm still liking the PNW's chances of getting a piece of that frigid Arctic air if it eventually attacks the CONUS. We don't need a direct hit.

[Frontal Snowsquall]

Denied = climatology

True.

[TT-SEA]

I sure wish this old pic had a date stamp somewhere on it...view from the family lake house deck looking out at the lake...it’s been in the family since 1958...possibly from the 68/69 event?

 

I remember being a stupid kid and walking way out on the lake on several occasions when my parents were not looking in the late 80’s/early 90’s!

 

Edit...can’t be 68/69 since no snow on the ground...just COLD!

 

 

That person on the left has some serious bell bottoms... I am betting early to mid 1970s.

[Kayla]

Easy feat when the landscape is relatively flat with little or no trees. 

 

It's not all that different than parts of the Portland area honestly. Plenty of trees and varied mountain terrain here. I think the main difference is that it is a new small town. 

[Kayla]

I'm still liking the PNW's chances of getting a piece of that frigid Arctic air if it eventually attacks the CONUS. We don't need a direct hit.

 

The 06z GFS-FV3 is hinting at this in the long range.

[TT-SEA]

I’m sure the ground needs to recover from average rainfall in mid-winter!!

 

 

16.5” here over the last month is about as wet as it gets. Shawnigan Lake is probably about 1ft away from the highest I’ve ever seen it. Looks like a few flooded properties.

 

 

I am not sure if Jesse is in denial about how much wetter it has been in the northern half of western WA and southern BC... or if he is just jealous.

 

We can certainly recognize that its been dry in SW WA and Oregon... but he refuses to recognize how wet it has been farther north.    And he lashes out at anyone reporting the wet conditions.

[Jesse]

Have you noticed that it feels weird when you end up with a below average temp departure for a month in the past 5 years? It's even weird to get a month that isnt top 10 warmest! That's what's weird and I dont know why nobody else has said it yet. These past 5 years have been extremely warm, even worldwide! If things don't reverse soon, we will actually be in trouble.

At least it has made our gloomy climate much more tolerable.

[Kayla]

You guys got the wind followed by a little bit of snow. We are getting a bit of both here this morning!

 

[Brian_in_Leavenworth]

I'm still liking the PNW's chances of getting a piece of that frigid Arctic air if it eventually attacks the CONUS. We don't need a direct hit.

I don't.  It is an El Nino year, after all.  Doesn't make it impossible though, just highly unlikely.  And a huge ridge over us in mid to late January is classic El Nino.

[Omegaraptor]

At least it has made our gloomy climate much more tolerable.

Isn’t Portland a fairly sunny climate by European standards?

[Frontal Snowsquall]

The 06z GFS-FV3 is hinting at this in the long range.

Yeah, I was just about to post it.

 

The 06z GFS-FV3 trended in the right direction in the long range. Here is what it's operational run shows.

 

Gigantic potential ahead! Like what Snow_wizard said yesterday, the SSW might finally be coming home to roost!

 

http://maps2.pivotalweather.com/maps/models/gfs_fv3/2019010706/360/500h_anom.na.png

http://maps2.pivotalweather.com/maps/models/gfs_fv3/2019010706/360/850th_nb.na.png

http://maps2.pivotalweather.com/maps/models/gfs_fv3/2019010706/384/850th_nb.na.png

[TT-SEA]

You guys got the wind followed by a little bit of snow. We are getting a bit of both here this morning!

 

Great video... you get a good feeling of the conditions.   I got cold just watching it.  

[Jesse]

Isn’t Portland a fairly sunny climate by European standards?

Not sunny enough for me!

[Front Ranger]

That person on the left has some serious bell bottoms... I am betting early to mid 1970s.

Dec 1972 would be my guess.

[Jesse]

06z ensembles actually show a little bit of promise.

 

[jcmcgaffey]

Agreed. Unfortunately that is the opposite of late winter/early spring climo in an El Niño year. Maybe the SJSSW will save us.

This winter so far has not felt like an El Nino but more like a La Niña with so much northwest flow.

[Jesse]

This winter so far has not felt like an El Nino but more like a La Niña with so much northwest flow.

It’s been pretty textbook niño. Minus any meaningful brush with early season cold.