Pacific Northwest Weather - May 2023

[Cloud]

First heat dome of the season and it already claimed a life last weekend. An 18 yr drowned on Lake Sandwich. 
 

I personally wouldn’t jump into a D**n lake in May or June no matter how hot… waters are still ice cold. 

[Omegaraptor]

1 hour ago, Phil said:

Can’t imagine how bad it must be up there if its blocking the sun here. Must be a lot of s**t burning.

I was probably lucky with the timing of my visits in 2017-19. Each time the sky was as blue as anything I’ve seen anywhere, and it felt like late October here with the cool, quiet nights and ravens calling from the trees in the morning. No bugs either. Was really nice.

My family said a few days after I left in August 2018 the air quality got really nasty. Missed it by 36hrs.  

I sometimes forget there are no bugs here.

I was in Mt Shasta in August 2019 and got lucky. Bluest skies I’ve ever seen. The average AQI there in August and September is probably on par with Mumbai and Beijing nowadays.

[TT-SEA]

11 minutes ago, Cloud said:

First heat dome of the season and it already claimed a life last weekend. An 18 yr drowned on Lake Sandwich. 
 

I personally wouldn’t jump into a D**n lake in May or June no matter how hot… waters are still ice cold. 

It was not related to water temp on Lake Sammamish.   Its currently up to 70 degrees and was in the upper 60s on Sunday when this happened.   I am guessing this incident was related to something else.    We were all in the water on Saturday and it was not bad at all.   It felt nice.  

[MossMan]

10 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

It was not related to water temp on Lake Sammamish.   It’scurrently up to 70 degrees and was in the upper 60s on Sunday when this happened.   I am guessing this incident was related to something else.    We were all in the water on Saturday and it was not bad at all.   It felt nice.  

I wish every kid starting at a young age would take swimming lessons…And not just one session but many! And learn how to react if you start to panic in the water. And if you are not a confident/experienced swimmer just wear a life jacket, I know it’s “so uncool” but they make some really nice ones these days and you can hardly tell it’s a life jacket. When I was a youngin back in the early 80’s we had these!! (Still have a few in the boat house at the lake lol) 

Edited May 18, 2023 by MossMan

[Cloud]

16 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

It was not related to water temp on Lake Sammamish.   Its currently up to 70 degrees and was in the upper 60s on Sunday when this happened.   I am guessing this incident was related to something else.    We were all in the water on Saturday and it was not bad at all.   It felt nice.  

You do realize the data you used on this website was last updated in 2016?

[SilverFallsAndrew]

8 minutes ago, MossMan said:

I wish every kid starting at a young age would take swimming lessons…And not just one session but many! And learn how to react if you start to panic in the water. And if you are not a confident/experienced swimmer just wear a life jacket, I know it’s “so uncool” but they make some really nice ones these days and you can hardly tell it’s a life jacket. When I was a youngin back in the early 80’s we had these!! (Still have a few in the boat house at the lake lol) 

I always wear a life jacket.

[TT-SEA]

3 minutes ago, Cloud said:

You do realize the data you used on this website was last updated in 2016?

Really?  The site was updated back then.   The data is real time... read it.    And its accurate.   We have a depth finder with temperature gauge it was in the upper 60s all over the lake on Saturday.   And still warming up.  

If you doubt it so much... drive over to the boat launch and walk into the water.   I assure you it feels pretty warm.  

[Cloud]

21 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

It was not related to water temp on Lake Sammamish.   Its currently up to 70 degrees and was in the upper 60s on Sunday when this happened.   I am guessing this incident was related to something else.    We were all in the water on Saturday and it was not bad at all.   It felt nice.  

 

[TT-SEA]

2 minutes ago, Cloud said:

 

Dude... you can show me whatever you want.   There is one source of data for water temp and its from a buoy in the middle of the lake.   We go by it every time we are out there.   The water temp is 70 degrees right now.   Its not debatable.  

Go over there with a thermometer if you want.   We have a water temp gauge on our boat and it always agrees with that buoy data.

[Cloud]

1 minute ago, TT-SEA said:

Really?  The site was updated back then.   The data is real time... read it.    And its accurate.   We have a depth finder with temperature gauge it was in the upper 60s all over the lake on Saturday.   And still warming up.  

If you doubt it so much... drive over to the boat launch and walk into the water.   I assure it feels pretty warm.  

Dude, even the fire department warned about jumping into the water this early because it can cause cramping due to the cold water. I don’t doubt you and I don’t care. I said I personally wouldn’t jump into the water this early and wear a life jacket. What you do that’s up to you.

[TacomaWx]

2 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

Its not debatable.  

Lol based on the fact we’ve had lake sammamish water temperature debate on a yearly basis I’m sure it is debatable! 

[TT-SEA]

Just now, Cloud said:

Dude, even the fire department warned about jumping into the water this early because it can cause cramping due to the cold water. I don’t doubt you and I don’t care. I said I personally wouldn’t jump into the water this early and wear a life jacket. What you do that’s up to you.

They issue that warning every spring.   Rivers are very cold and some lakes are probably still cold.   I know why they warn people.  It makes sense.   But I have first hand experience being in the water on Lake Sammamish and it was not cold.   And the buoy data backs that up.

[Cloud]

3 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

Dude... you can show me whatever you want.   There is one source of data for water temp and its from a buoy in the middle of the lake.   We go by it every time we are out there.   The water temp is 70 degrees right now.   Its not debatable.  

Go over there with a thermometer if you want.   We have a water temp gauge on our boat and it always agrees with that buoy data.

Somebody is all rowdy up.

[TacomaWx]

63 here currently…wildfire smoke slightly capping temps. Thankfully it’s aloft mostly. 

[Cloud]

Just now, TacomaWx said:

Lol based on the fact we’ve had lake sammamish water temperature debate on a yearly basis I’m sure it is debatable! 

Apparently! Lol

[TT-SEA]

Just now, Cloud said:

Somebody is all rowdy up.

You are telling me something that is just not true regarding that lake.   Its just a fact.   

[TT-SEA]

1 minute ago, TacomaWx said:

Lol based on the fact we’ve had lake sammamish water temperature debate on a yearly basis I’m sure it is debatable! 

Very true!  

[TT-SEA]

8 minutes ago, Cloud said:

Dude, even the fire department warned about jumping into the water this early because it can cause cramping due to the cold water. I don’t doubt you and I don’t care. I said I personally wouldn’t jump into the water this early and wear a life jacket. What you do that’s up to you.

One more note... you would actually jump into Lake Sammamish right now once you were out there.    And you would enjoy it.   Almost every boat we passed on Saturday had people swimming around it... because it was comfortable and felt nice.    The top part of that lake just warms up really fast.   We have experienced it for 20 years now.  

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I don’t meet the $500,000 annual income or $5m net worth minimum to access lake Sandwich. 

[Omegaraptor]

People in the Caribbean WISH they had Lake Sammamish.

[bainbridgekid]

Tim is right about Lake Sammamish. It really is 70 degrees near the surface. 
 

I follow that buoy site religiously because I’m out boating most weekends on Lake Washington and it is updated every day. The March 2016 “last updated” was to the website itself not the data.  The water temp obviously wasn’t 70 degrees in late March.

[TT-SEA]

7 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

I don’t meet the $500,000 annual income or $5m net worth minimum to access lake Sandwich. 

Whenever someone enjoys something you often turn it into something darker about economics or race.   Even when those things have nothing to do with it and should not be part of the discussion.  It certainly doesn't apply to being able to enjoy Lake Sammamish.  You do the same thing with skiing.   Economics might actaully apply more to skiing.   But either way... its just your default and it's strange.

[TacomaWx]

I don’t know why y’all argue this with Tim. Dude lives right next to the lake and the water temp gets as warm as he says on the buoy. Either way why would he make up the fact the water temp gets warm in the warm season? It makes complete sense that the water near the surface warms up. Then again maybe y’all know this and like to tug on the dragons tail and get Tim riled up. 

[Omegaraptor]

3 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

Whenever someone enjoys something you often turn it into something darker about economics or race.   Even when those things have nothing to do with it and should not be part of the discussion.  It certainly doesn't apply to being able to enjoy Lake Sammamish.  You do the same thing with skiing.   Economics might actaully apply more to skiing.   But either way... its just your default and it's strange.

Gotta get to Hoodoo… 30 buck Thursdays! Cheapest skiing in Oregon.

[TT-SEA]

3 minutes ago, TacomaWx said:

I don’t know why y’all argue this with Tim. Dude lives right next to the lake and the water temp gets as warm as he says on the buoy. Either way why would he make up the fact the water temp gets warm in the warm season? It makes complete sense that the water near the surface warms up. Then again maybe y’all know this and like to tug on the dragons tail and get Tim riled up. 

It might be the best lake in WA in terms of water activities.    The top 10 feet are all that matters and that lake warms up fast every year.   But also never has algae.   And we experience it first hand.  

[Cloud]

1 minute ago, TT-SEA said:

You are telling me something that is just not true regarding that lake.   Its just a fact.   

So you’re telling me the entire lake is 70F? Now that’s can’t be true. It may be warm where you are or at the bouy but I can see a wide rage from 49-60F average for May.  They didn’t specify where he drowned exactly but this is what his friend said. 
 

“An 18-year-old man drowned in Lake Sammamish on Sunday night. The man's friends say he was a strong swimmer, but was likely overcome by the cold water.”

[SilverFallsAndrew]

3 minutes ago, Omegaraptor said:

Gotta get to Hoodoo… 30 buck Thursdays! Cheapest skiing in Oregon.

Hoodoo is fantastic for working class folx or students on a budget.

[Omegaraptor]

3 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

It might be the best lake in WA in terms of water activities.    The top 10 feet are all that matters and that lake warms up fast every year.   But also never has algae.   And we experience it first hand.  

Is it better than Lake Chelan?

[TT-SEA]

Just now, Cloud said:

So you’re telling me the entire lake is 70F? Now that’s can’t be true. It may be warm where you are or at the bouy but I can see a wide rage from 49-60F average for May.  They didn’t specify where he drowned exactly but this is what his friend said. 
 

“An 18-year-old man drowned in Lake Sammamish on Sunday night. The man's friends say he was a strong swimmer, but was likely overcome by the cold water.”

It had to be related to something else.   We were all over the lake on Saturday and our temp gauge showed upper 60s everywhere.    Its very uniform and always seems to be that way.  

[Cloud]

6 minutes ago, TacomaWx said:

I don’t know why y’all argue this with Tim. Dude lives right next to the lake and the water temp gets as warm as he says on the buoy. Either way why would he make up the fact the water temp gets warm in the warm season? It makes complete sense that the water near the surface warms up. Then again maybe y’all know this and like to tug on the dragons tail and get Tim riled up. 

I love Tim, so I like to yank his tail once in a while. We aren’t really arguing! We’re usually on good terms and he knows  

It’s not as dramatic as you think! 

[TT-SEA]

Just now, Omegaraptor said:

Is it better than Lake Chelan?

Chelan always seems to be cold even though the air is hotter.    Cold water is never an issue on Lake Sammamish.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

8 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

Whenever someone enjoys something you often turn it into something darker about economics or race.   Even when those things have nothing to do with it and should not be part of the discussion.  It certainly doesn't apply to being able to enjoy Lake Sammamish.  You do the same thing with skiing.   Economics might actaully apply more to skiing.   But either way... its just your default and it's strange.

Those are two huge issues that are intertwined in almost everything in this country. 

[TT-SEA]

1 minute ago, Cloud said:

I love Tim, so I like to yank his tail once in a while. We aren’t really arguing! We’re usually on good terms and he knows  

It’s not as dramatic as you think! 

This is also true.  

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, TT-SEA said:

Chelan always seems to be cold even though the air is hotter.    Cold water is never an issue on Lake Sammamish.

You’d rather jump into a bathtub?

[TT-SEA]

Just now, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Those are two huge issues that are intertwined in almost everything in this country. 

Going to a lake is not one of those things. 

[TT-SEA]

Just now, SilverFallsAndrew said:

You’d rather jump into a bathtub?

Chelan is usually shockingly cold.   Sammamish is usually just refreshing.   Its always cooler than the air when we are out there on warm sunny days.

[Omegaraptor]

6 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Hoodoo is fantastic for working class folx or students on a budget.

Santiam Pass is an outdoor paradise for the 99%!

They allow motor boats on Suttle Lake too but it’s probably cold there so it sucks.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Still some snow on the mountains of Vegas. 

[TT-SEA]

2 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Still some snow on the mountains of Vegas. 

Everyone is going to Vegas... anyone find Kayla yet?

[FroYoBro]

2 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Still some snow on the mountains of Vegas. 

Wow, you flew up into the air on one of those giant metal birds? 
 

1 percenter!