June (July) 2020 Weather Discussion for the PNW

[Jesse]

Got back from a pretty epic trip to eastern Oregon last night. Steens mountain is incredible.

 

It was hot down lower (90s in Burns) most of the time, but where we camped near the 7,800’ level highs were in the 70s with lows in the upper 40s. Still a decent amount of snow near the top too, and where there isn’t there are a ton of wildflowers. Pretty awesome microclimate up there. The topography is mind blowing.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Great morning.

[Jesse]

Great morning.

 

So beautiful. Low of 56 here.

 

Glad to see the heat potential toned down for the next few days. It was looking much worse when we left.  Looks like we could cool back to average as soon as midweek. Such great summer weather this month.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Three amigos sleeping off a wild night on the front lawn. 

 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Got back from a pretty epic trip to eastern Oregon last night. Steens mountain is incredible.

 

It was hot down lower (90s in Burns) most of the time, but where we camped near the 7,800’ level highs were in the 70s with lows in the upper 40s. Still a decent amount of snow near the top too, and where there isn’t there are a ton of wildflowers. Pretty awesome microclimate up there. The topography is mind blowing.

 

Hope you did the loop all the way around the mountain too. That is a pretty special drive. 

[Phil]

[Phil]

GFS and Euro diverging again in the LR.

 

Per the usual, I’d bet on the latter.

[snow_wizard]

The solar min keeps on keeping on.  The numbers are lower than they were two months on a number of elements.  It's getting to the point of being pretty mind blowing now.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Oregon Department of Agriculture released their August-October forecast for Oregon. Going with 1959-60, 1970-71, 2005-06 for the analog years going forward. 

 

Calling for a warm August, cool September, and average October right now. 

[Anti Marine Layer]

 

https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mesowest/timeseries.php?sid=KMTN&num=72&banner=gmap&raw=0&w=325

Dew point of 81 is insane.

[jakeinthevalley]

Got back from a pretty epic trip to eastern Oregon last night. Steens mountain is incredible.

 

It was hot down lower (90s in Burns) most of the time, but where we camped near the 7,800’ level highs were in the 70s with lows in the upper 40s. Still a decent amount of snow near the top too, and where there isn’t there are a ton of wildflowers. Pretty awesome microclimate up there. The topography is mind blowing.

Any rattlesnakes or wild horses?

[TacomaWaWx]

Up to 75 here we just might make it to 80 today.

[El_Nina]

Got back from a pretty epic trip to eastern Oregon last night. Steens mountain is incredible.

It was hot down lower (90s in Burns) most of the time, but where we camped near the 7,800’ level highs were in the 70s with lows in the upper 40s. Still a decent amount of snow near the top too, and where there isn’t there are a ton of wildflowers. Pretty awesome microclimate up there. The topography is mind blowing.

Really feels like a different world up there.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Some calling for a surprise 90 at PDX today.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

88F here so we are probly gonna get 90 #5.

[Deweydog]

Some calling for a surprise 90 at PDX today.

They’re smart.

[Jesse]

Hope you did the loop all the way around the mountain too. That is a pretty special drive.

We wanted to but ended up spending most of the time on the upper slopes where the weather was better. Plan to get out to the Alvord this fall.

[Jesse]

They’re smart.

CALM DOWN

[Deweydog]

[Jesse]

Any rattlesnakes or wild horses?

We saw a herd of wild horses on the drive down the last evening, near the Donner und Blitzen River. It was pretty awesome.

 

[snow_wizard]

We wanted to but ended up spending most of the time on the upper slopes where the weather was better. Plan to get out to the Alvord this fall.

 

I have always wanted to go check out that area.  Sounds other worldly

[Anti Marine Layer]

We saw a herd of wild horses on the drive down the last evening, near the Donner und Blitzen River. It was pretty awesome.

1C6AB53B-9F9C-4AB8-BB05-95278428FFC1.jpeg

Santa's reindeer were not there. Hallmark Channel still has Christmas in July.

[Jesse]

I have always wanted to go check out that area. Sounds other worldly

Otherworldly is a good word for it. The summit is basically an island of sub-arctic tundra in a sea of high desert. Very much a throwback to the late Pleistocene, when the area’s climate was drastically different than present day. Moreso than most areas of the lower 48. Much cooler and wetter. Giant lakes filled the basins between the mountain ranges, which were coated in glaciers. It stands to reason that the Steens, being one of the higher and more northerly fault block mountains in the Great Basin, had been one of the last to dry out and “thaw”, so to speak. It still retains characteristics of that era, with its snow capped summit and large, freshwater lakes.

 

Interesting vegetation patterns as well. Aside from junipers lower down there are no conifers on the mountain. The alpine grasslands on the summit are ringed by a unique forest of aspen and mountain mahogany. In its upper reaches there are large stands of pure aspen, which gives the area an almost boreal feel.

 

Not to mention the topography itself. The western slopes of the mountain are like a giant ramp, marked with huge u-shaped glacial valleys, while the eastern rim drops precipitously, nearly a vertical mile down to the Alvord desert. This is the driest area in the state of Oregon, sitting in the rain shadow of Steens.

[Anti Marine Layer]

We saw a herd of wild horses on the drive down the last evening, near the Donner und Blitzen River. It was pretty awesome.

1C6AB53B-9F9C-4AB8-BB05-95278428FFC1.jpeg

Looks nice.

[TacomaWaWx]

Otherworldly is a good word for it. The summit is basically an island of sub-arctic tundra in a sea of high desert. Very much a throwback to the late Pleistocene, when the area’s climate was drastically different than present day. Moreso than most areas of the lower 48. Much cooler and wetter. Giant lakes filled the basins between the mountain ranges, which were coated in glaciers. It stands to reason that the Steens, being one of the higher and more northerly fault block mountains in the Great Basin, had been one of the last to dry out and “thaw”, so to speak. It still retains characteristics of that era, with its snow capped summit and large, freshwater lakes.

Interesting vegetation patterns as well. Aside from junipers lower down there are no conifers on the mountain. The alpine grasslands on the summit are ringed by a unique forest of aspen and mountain mahogany. In its upper reaches there are large stands of pure aspen, which gives the area an almost boreal feel.

Not to mention the topography itself. The western slopes of the mountain are like a giant ramp, marked with huge u-shaped glacial valleys, while the eastern rim drops precipitously, nearly a vertical mile down to the Alvord desert. This is the driest area in the state of Oregon, sitting in the rain shadow of Steens.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to check out steens mountain this summer or not but after hearing you talk about it I think I might have to. Planning on doing kind of a loop through central/eastern Oregon for a 10-12 days next month.

[TacomaWaWx]

Up to 77 now...don’t think we will manage 80 today.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

Up to 91F but we might stay under 92F so not the hottest day of the year so far but it is our 5th day above 90F.

[TT-SEA]

Up to 77 now...don’t think we will manage 80 today.

84 at SEA and in North Bend this afternoon.

[Omegaraptor]

HIO reached 90.

 

Wonder where Snowsquall is?

[Jesse]

HIO reached 90.

Wonder where Snowsquall is?

He is preparing a victory screech.

[Jesse]

89/56 here today. Definitely a little warmer than anticipated. On the flip side it’s starting to look like Tuesday could be our return to onshore flow day.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

Looks like EUG reached 92F so we tie our hottest day of the year so far.

[MossMan]

[Jesse]

You saw that one as well!

I stand by the statement. Just figured it wasn’t worth getting into it. Especially while on a trip.

[Anti Marine Layer]

The low clouds cover the entire U.S. West Coast and extend thousands of miles out to sea.

[Blizzard777]

84 at SEA and in North Bend this afternoon.

82/55 here 

[Anti Marine Layer]

Thermal trough never found its way offshore in Oregon and Washington.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

Still 75F. Very warm day.

[snow_wizard]

Up to 91F but we might stay under 92F so not the hottest day of the year so far but it is our 5th day above 90F.

 

Wow!

 

I'm not even sure I've had 5 80+ days here.  Probably after today.

[TacomaWaWx]

78/59 today.