Pacific Northwest Weather - May 2023

[LowerGarfield]

78 and sunny right now. Nice day outside.

[ChrisAmunRA]

77° Eastside Tacoma/Salishan 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Pretty sure PDX hit 97 in early June 2021 too.

[Ken in Wood Village]

1 hour ago, Slushy Inch said:

And boom heat develops. And what days of June had the 2021 heatwave?

That is 240 hours out. A lot can change between now and then. Just saying. 

[ChrisAmunRA]

Facing Port of Tacoma to the North

[ShawniganLake]

2 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

I think mid to late June might be decently wet though with the northward movement of the jet extension.   Hopefully that is the case.    It would not be good to go into July and August without a couple good soaking rains.

A rainy jet extension in late June?  I’ll believe it when I see it.  I’d normally think of a stagnant ULL pattern to produce much rain that time of year. 

[ShawniganLake]

Warm again today. Back to back 80s

[Slushy Inch]

30 minutes ago, Ken in Wood Village said:

That is 240 hours out. A lot can change between now and then. Just saying. 

Every ensemble is on the same page. Worth noting.

[Phishy Wx]

Heat Waves.....  We'll have them

[MossMan]

Should I respond with “It’s coming, get your snow tires on now!” ? 

Edited May 26 by MossMan

[Slushy Inch]

1 minute ago, MossMan said:

Should I respond with “It’s coming, get your snow tires on now!” 

The lack of rain is making the accumulation pretty impressive this year.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Taking some time off since my kids from Oklahoma are out for a couple of weeks. Burning piles of Scotch Broom today. Looks like it could be a limited burning window this year. 

[MossMan]

11 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Taking some time off since my kids from Oklahoma are out for a couple of weeks. Burning piles of Scotch Broom today. Looks like it could be a limited burning window this year. 

Hope your kids don’t like fire too much…

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

49 minutes ago, MossMan said:

Hope your kids don’t like fire too much…

 

Nah, not really. They watch it for a few minutes and then go back inside or play with the dogs. 

[Rubus Leucodermis]

81.1°F.

[MV_snow]

@TT-SEA what do the Euro cloud maps show for the timing of clearing in our area tomorrow and Sunday? Want to time our time on the lake accordingly!

[TT-SEA]

18 minutes ago, MV_snow said:

@TT-SEA what do the Euro cloud maps show for the timing of clearing in our area tomorrow and Sunday? Want to time our time on the lake accordingly!

What lake?   Timing depends on location.   Tomorrow never does fully clear in the central Sound area (i.e. King County) per the ECMWF.   On Sunday it looks basically sunny after 1 p.m.

Here is 5 p.m. tomorrow:

[MossMan]

12 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

What lake?   Timing depends on location.   Tomorrow never does fully clear in the central Sound area (i.e. King County) per the ECMWF.   On Sunday it looks basically sunny after 1 p.m.

Here is 5 p.m. tomorrow:

Looks great up here! 

[TT-SEA]

1 minute ago, MossMan said:

Looks great up here! 

But apparently struggling to get out of the 50s per your phone.   

[BLI snowman]

2 hours ago, ShawniganLake said:

A rainy jet extension in late June?  I’ll believe it when I see it.  I’d normally think of a stagnant ULL pattern to produce much rain that time of year. 

We had a nice transient jet extension at the end of June 2002 in an otherwise dry summer. Great Nino winter followed.

[TT-SEA]

2 minutes ago, BLI snowman said:

We had a nice transient jet extension at the end of June 2002 in an otherwise dry summer. Great Nino winter followed.

Not sure of the upper level details... but out here we had a month long dry spell from mid May through mid June in 2009 and then picked up 1.75 inches of rain in North Bend from June 19-22.     Also a developing Nino year.

[MV_snow]

18 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

What lake?   Timing depends on location.   Tomorrow never does fully clear in the central Sound area (i.e. King County) per the ECMWF.   On Sunday it looks basically sunny after 1 p.m.

Here is 5 p.m. tomorrow:

Thanks. Lake Wilderness in MV. We may wait until Sunday then and knock out the yard work tomorrow!

[TT-SEA]

4 minutes ago, MV_snow said:

Thanks. Lake Wilderness in MV. We may wait until Sunday then and knock out the yard work tomorrow!

Not sure what to make of tomorrow.    Suspect reality will be broken clouds because the ECMWF also shows temps into the low 70s in King County and its been running 4-6 degrees too cool as usual.   So if it's really in the mid 70s tomorrow then that implies a decent amount of sun breaking through.

[BLI snowman]

10 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

Not sure of the upper level details... but out here we had a month long dry spell from mid May through mid June in 2009 and then picked up 1.75 inches of rain in North Bend from June 19-22.     Also a developing Nino year.

Think that was more of a ULL setup. I remember some good convective downpours with it.

[MV_snow]

3 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

Not sure what to make of tomorrow.    Suspect reality will be broken clouds because the ECMWF also shows temps into the low 70s in King County and its been running 4-6 degrees too cool as usual.   So if it's really in the mid 70s tomorrow then that implies a decent amount of sun breaking through.

Yeah, it’s hard to imagine an above normal high without any sun this time of year. Although I do remember a July 4 a few years back that almost hit 90 under total overcast. Totally different pattern though. I think that was 2018.

[Cold Snap]

Currently 81.1 after a low of 50. Tons of cotton blowing everywhere. One of my friends who lives out in bellevue managed to get a nice dusting of it. Must be a lot of cottonwood trees by where he lives.

[TT-SEA]

16 minutes ago, MV_snow said:

Yeah, it’s hard to imagine an above normal high without any sun this time of year. Although I do remember a July 4 a few years back that almost hit 90 under total overcast. Totally different pattern though. I think that was 2018.

Yep... it was 2018.   I remember it well.

[TT-SEA]

Picked up another 80 degree at SEA... 81 so far and currently 81.

[TT-SEA]

Anecdotally... I clearly remember the cottonwood explosion in 2009 because my in-laws were in town for my wife's birthday and they were commenting on how it looked like snow.   It's happening about 10 days later this year.   Seems like it's usually a mid May thing.  

[TT-SEA]

1 hour ago, MV_snow said:

Yeah, it’s hard to imagine an above normal high without any sun this time of year. Although I do remember a July 4 a few years back that almost hit 90 under total overcast. Totally different pattern though. I think that was 2018.

Worth noting... the 18Z ECMWF came in significantly more cloudy and about 5 degrees cooler for tomorrow than it's 12Z run.

[Eugene-5SW]

Yes, folks, it's back, by popular demand! Because we know how much you missed us!!! -- it's...

SMOKE SEASON!!!

Get ready for a nice, looooong visit!!!

[Phil]

Denver people walk so f***ing slow.

[Phil]

Seriously this is like a slow motion film. Must be the THC.

[Cascadia_Wx]

7 minutes ago, Phil said:

Seriously this is like a slow motion film. Must be the THC.

I usually wait until I’ve been there at least a day to get stoned in new state.

[Cascadia_Wx]

Another big overachiever today. 86 at PDX. 84/56 day here.

Looking forward to the cool down the next few days. Once again some nice cumulus development over the Cascades this afternoon. Looks like the Columbia Gorge near Cascade Locks had a decent thunderstorm earlier.

[T-Town]

Nice evening!

[ChrisAmunRA]

82° for the high here at the Eastside Tacoma/Salishan neighborhood. 

[Cascadia_Wx]

10 minutes ago, ChrisAmunRA said:

82° for the high here at the Eastside Tacoma/Salishan neighborhood. 

Downright Satanic 

[TT-SEA]

@Anti Marine Layer check out the new low that forms out of thin air this weekend to replace the departing low over CA.  

[MossMan]

Solid dusting, possibly approaching a solid half inch in the landscaped areas in Bothell! Not sticking to the roads however. 

[T-Town]

5 minutes ago, MossMan said:

Solid dusting, possibly approaching a solid half inch in the landscaped areas in Bothell! Not sticking to the roads however. 

Cottonwood convergence zone!  Nothing here.  

[TT-SEA]

15 minutes ago, T-Town said:

Cottonwood convergence zone!  Nothing here.  

It was pounding North Bend this evening.    Low visibility and lots of drifting.   Typical c-zone location.

[T-Town]

4 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

It was pounding North Bend this evening.    Low visibility and lots of drifting.   Typical c-zone location.

Thoughts and prayers. The marine push has arrived here. No damage so far, but it’s early. 

[TT-SEA]

26 minutes ago, T-Town said:

Thoughts and prayers. The marine push has arrived here. No damage so far, but it’s early. 

My son just finished up an afternoon and evening on the boat with his friends... sounds like he made it off the lake just in time!  

[Chewbacca Defense]

1 hour ago, MossMan said:

Solid dusting, possibly approaching a solid half inch in the landscaped areas in Bothell! Not sticking to the roads however. 

That's about how it looks up here, my dog loves to catch them out of the air, looks like PacMan....well Miss PacMan as she runs across the yard snapping her jaws.

 

The accumilation shown in your picture is pretty close to what we are seeing up here....my first thought was to grab the snow shovel, then I realized it's May and I should just grab the trusty 'ole leaf blower (which I know is oh-so popular here on the forum) 

 

We made it up to 81 here today, and it has cooled down to 67 so far this evening.  I've had my lightning tracker app pop up alerts the past few days for storms up on Baker, its crazy to think that Mt Baker is only 27 miles from my house as the crow flies.

[TT-SEA]

10 minutes ago, Chewbacca Defense said:

That's about how it looks up here, my dog loves to catch them out of the air, looks like PacMan....well Miss PacMan as she runs across the yard snapping her jaws.

 

The accumilation shown in your picture is pretty close to what we are seeing up here....my first thought was to grab the snow shovel, then I realized it's May and I should just grab the trusty 'ole leaf blower (which I know is oh-so popular here on the forum) 

 

We made it up to 81 here today, and it has cooled down to 67 so far this evening.  I've had my lightning tracker app pop up alerts the past few days for storms up on Baker, its crazy to think that Mt Baker is only 27 miles from my house as the crow flies.

At this time of year... I often wonder why the entire landscape here is not wall-to-wall cottonwoods.    The success rate of those puff balls must be extremely low.  

[Cold Snap]

3 hours ago, Eugene-5SW said:

Yes, folks, it's back, by popular demand! Because we know how much you missed us!!! -- it's...

SMOKE SEASON!!!

Get ready for a nice, looooong visit!!!

Not liking the fact that there’s already a fire that big on the westside of the cascades this early. Worries me a bit for what’s to come if there’s not a decent soaking anytime soon.

[Anti Marine Layer]

2 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

@Anti Marine Layer check out the new low that forms out of thin air this weekend to replace the departing low over CA.  

California is getting colder with global warming. Seattle and Portland are getting warmer.

 

[Anti Marine Layer]

2 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

@Anti Marine Layer check out the new low that forms out of thin air this weekend to replace the departing low over CA.  

Last June we had some dark blue and purple negative height anomalies some days, but no June Gloom.

It's those weaker troughs that make it the worst, as they don't mix out the inversion. There's also the high soil moisture content as the hills are still green here in late May, (very, very rare here) which helps those low clouds. 

Not a single heat wave this whole entire spring so far within 10 miles of the coast.

 

[ShawniganLake]

Topped out at 84F here.  It was a really nice day with a stiff breeze kicking up in the late afternoon.