June 2020 Weather Discussion for the PNW

[Jesse]

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

 

Sounds like a pretty interesting climate, especially for its southern latitude. An average July high in the 70s in crazy for somewhere east of the Mississippi at 35N. From what I can tell, though, average precipitation is 84.7” and average snowfall is 12.9” for the town of Highland, proper. The record wettest year was 106” in 2013, so I have trouble believing that’s the average for somewhere so close by, even on a ridge top.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlands,_North_Carolina

[TacomaWaWx]

Looking like some wet snow this almost July morning at Timberline Lodge.

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Not too surprising it was pretty cold up at chinook pass yesterday. Nice to see this time of year.

[TacomaWaWx]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

Was just looking at that area on the map...not too far away from where I have some distant relatives. My grandpa grew up in Marble NC like 30 miles west of there not too far away. He was born in 1941...grew up there in the 40s and 50s before moving to Washington in 1960.

[Jesse]

Seems like showers are wrapping up pretty quickly down here, unless there is some buildup later.

 

.05” so far today with a low of 53. Overcast and 57 currently.

[ShawniganLake]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

 

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

 

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

Sounds like Tim’s house. 80” of annual rain. 50” of snow. Highs in the 70s in the summer.

[TT-SEA]

Sounds like Tim’s house. 80” of annual rain. 50” of snow. Highs in the 70s in the summer.

 

Indeed.

[TT-SEA]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

 

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

 

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

 

 

Just did a Google street view tour... looks like a really nice town.  

[Jesse]

Shaping up to be sunny and in the 70s this afternoon in the Portland area. These warm season inside sliders aren’t great for producing widespread rainfall or gloom in these parts.

 

The east side of the state actually looks to do really well with precip today.

[Phil]

Sounds like a pretty interesting climate, especially for its southern latitude. An average July high in the 70s in crazy for somewhere east of the Mississippi at 35N. From what I can tell, though, average precipitation is 84.7” and average snowfall is 12.9” for the town of Highland, proper. The record wettest year was 106” in 2013, so I have trouble believing that’s the average for somewhere so close by, even on a ridge top.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlands,_North_Carolina

It is flummoxing to me. There’s lots of hyper micro-scale variability around here due to channeling of orographic lifting, especially as you leave “downtown” Highlands and head N/NE. There’s a sharp gradient in vegetation (and weather conditions) as you head over Ammons Branch towards Wildwood Mtn. Flips from elmwood/oak right to evergreen/mountain beech as you enter the fog.

 

Apparently the precip differences largely arise during the cold season, when streamflow is persistently W/NW and the same ridges w/in upslope channels receive precipitation while surrounding areas are left dry. It’s less pronounced in the warm season.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

It is flummoxing to me. There’s lots of hyper micro-scale variability around here due to channeling of orographic lifting, especially as you leave “downtown” Highlands and head N/NE. There’s a sharp gradient in vegetation (and weather conditions) as you head over Ammons Branch towards Wildwood Mtn. Flips from elmwood/oak right to evergreen/mountain beech as you enter the fog.

 

Apparently the precip differences largely arise during the cold season, when streamflow is persistently W/NW and the same ridges w/in upslope channels receive precipitation while surrounding areas are left dry. It’s less pronounced in the warm season.

55” of snow at 4400’ with that much annual precipitation seems like weak sauce.

[Jesse]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

Cool.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Tim s obsession with 4th of July weekend is weird and likely a troll move. The holiday has essentially been canceled this year. No one cares.

[Jesse]

It is flummoxing to me. There’s lots of hyper micro-scale variability around here due to channeling of orographic lifting, especially as you leave “downtown” Highlands and head N/NE. There’s a sharp gradient in vegetation (and weather conditions) as you head over Ammons Branch towards Wildwood Mtn. Flips from elmwood/oak right to evergreen/mountain beech as you enter the fog.

Apparently the precip differences largely arise during the cold season, when streamflow is persistently W/NW and the same ridges w/in upslope channels receive precipitation while surrounding areas are left dry. It’s less pronounced in the warm season.

Hmmm...

[Jesse]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

Nice.

[Jesse]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

Post some pics!

[MossMan]

Tim s obsession with 4th of July weekend is weird and likely a troll move. The holiday has essentially been canceled this year. No one cares.

Good to see your spirits have improved!

[Jesse]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

Sounds amazing.

[TT-SEA]

Tim s obsession with 4th of July weekend is weird and likely a troll move. The holiday has essentially been canceled this year. No one cares.

 

 

You are so depressing.   We hope to get out on the water in the warm sun... hopefully here.   If not then we will travel.    

 

If we stay here... we will be out on the lake during the day and then have our own fireworks show at home with our kids and their friends.   That is what we do every year.   We have no interest in public fireworks shows... so there is nothing that can be cancelled for us.    

 

All comes down to the weather... but we will have a good time either way and are looking forward to it! 

[MossMan]

Post some pics!

Yeah I want to see pics of this amazing place as well! Is it just me that likes to take way too many pictures all of the time?

[Jesse]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

Will you be there until the 4th?

[TigerWoodsLibido]

59F with some heavy rain right now.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

As long as it stays below 80 up here I’ll be fine.

[Jesse]

Yeah I want to see pics of this amazing place as well! Is it just me that likes to take way too many pictures all of the time?

I take a ton. I’m really obsessive about organizing them though. One of my big projects early in the pandemic was to organize all of my digital photos from 2006-12 chronologically, making a folder for each month (I’d done that for 2012-present pictures but hadn’t gotten around to it for the older ones). Definitely more than a few snow and weather pics in there.

[Phil]

55” of snow at 4400’ with that much annual precipitation seems like weak sauce.

Yeah, it’s certainly no Stampede Pass.

[Phil]

Haha. You’re one of a kind, Jesse.

[TT-SEA]

Much brighter here... rain has ended for now.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Hasn’t even rained here today.

[Front Ranger]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

 

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

 

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

Very similar to Stampede Pass.

[TT-SEA]

I take a ton. I’m really obsessive about organizing them though. One of my big projects early in the pandemic was to organize all of my digital photos from 2006-12 chronologically, making a folder for each month (I’d done that for 2012-present pictures but hadn’t gotten around to it for the older ones). Definitely more than a few snow and weather pics in there.

 

 

I like this side of Jesse.

[Jesse]

We’re up at 4400ft in Highlands, NC right now and it’s downright amazing. Highs in the low 70s with lots of deep convection, cloud cover, and fog. Meanwhile, back home in the lowlands it’s 90°F and miserable. Was 94°F yesterday back home and up here it was 73°F.

Our cabin is on a ridgeline and the orographic lifting is amazing. Annual precip is apparently 107” up too here and the average snowfall is 55”, but just 10 miles away, annual precip drops way down to 40” and average snowfall drops to 11”.

You can see into 5 states on a clear day from up here. The distant lightning never stopped last night. It’s windy, smells like nature, and there’s wildlife everywhere including bears and foxes. I could 100% live here.

  

Haha. You’re one of a kind, Jesse.

I figured may as well embrace it and make this the North Carolina discussion page.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Sun just came out.

[Front Ranger]

Sounds like a pretty interesting climate, especially for its southern latitude. An average July high in the 70s in crazy for somewhere east of the Mississippi at 35N. From what I can tell, though, average precipitation is 84.7” and average snowfall is 12.9” for the town of Highland, proper. The record wettest year was 106” in 2013, so I have trouble believing that’s the average for somewhere so close by, even on a ridge top.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlands,_North_Carolina

It's almost like you're suggesting Phil likes to exaggerate for dramatic effect.

[Phil]

[Jesse]

I know, two posts is way overboard.

I keep it to one singular post next time. Promise.

I enjoyed it. Went down a little Wikipedia rabbit hole about mountain climates in the Southeastern US.

 

But we have a kind of interesting event going on here right now, too. It SNOWED in the higher Cascades this morning.

[MossMan]

Sad!

You may need to take the snow plow off the front of your jet ski

No there is still a little hope for a white 4th of July.

[ShawniganLake]

Post some pics!

Spotty cell service and weak wifi signal, I’m guessing. Probably should see some photos showing up in a few weeks. If he’s not too busy.

 

Also, Phil, weren’t you saying a few weeks back that the pandemic had put you into debt and you had moved back home. Now, we are on week long vacations to mountain top cabins? Perhaps another vacation conspiracy unfolding!

[Jesse]

[TacomaWaWx]

57 and mostly cloudy and it’s almost noon...not very summer like. Hoping we get lucky and see some storms later but not getting my hopes too high.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

How's our nina looking?

 

And the queue bee oh?

[TT-SEA]

How's our nina looking?

 

And the queue bee oh?

 

 

Back to exactly neutral... for a minute at least.