December 2023 Weather in the PNW

[Cold Snap]

Managed to get 2 inches of rain on the dot yesterday and 0.29” today. Up to 4.69” for the month so far.

[Gradient Keeper]

Satellite Imagery

We have quite a nice low developing off the south Washington Coast. It is strengthening a bit and could produce gusty south winds just about anywhere.

[Gradient Keeper]

00z EPS - Moses Lake. Surface temps. The EPS has shown very good run-to-run consistency developing the Columbia Basin cold pool keeping it firmly in place for at least 7-8 days. Not the coldest I've ever seen, but for those living east of I-205 into the western Gorge it'll feel like Winter once the east wind starts ripping out of the Gorge.

[Gradient Keeper]

Hmmm....

[Gradient Keeper]

Night Shift 6z GFS - Rainfall totals ending 4 PM Sunday.

[TigerWoodsLibido]

45F with the occasional shower.

[TT-SEA]

SEA is at 5.45 inches for December... which is 95% of the monthly normal and it appears now that we have quite a wet weekend ahead.    What was a very dry year through August is not so crazy dry any longer with 17.56 inches of rain since September 1st.  

[TT-SEA]

5 hours ago, Phil said:

WHOOOOSH.

Winter is totally MIA for the northern US and Canada. 

[TacomaWx]

5 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

SEA is at 5.45 inches for December... which is 95% of the monthly normal and it appears now that we have quite a wet weekend ahead.    What was a very dry year through August is not so crazy dry any longer with 17.56 inches of rain since September 1st.  

Yeah 5.45” of rain so far this month with some more coming this weekend. 14.22” since October 1st IMBY. 

[TT-SEA]

6 minutes ago, TacomaWx said:

Yeah 5.45” of rain so far this month with some more coming this weekend. 14.22” since October 1st IMBY. 

Quite a bit more coming this weekend.   SEA should be well over 7 inches on the month by the 10th with 3 weeks to go.   Pretty crazy considering the normal for the entire month in 5.72.

[TacomaWx]

5 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

Quite a bit more coming this weekend.   SEA should be well over 7 inches on the month by the 10th with 3 weeks to go.   Pretty crazy considering the normal for the entire month in 5.72.

Yeah I’ll probably be back up here at Highway 18 working this weekend. Haven’t had a day off in 2 weeks now with all this rain recently. 

[Timmy Supercell]

In 2013 and 1972 right now, there was an epic arctic blast. I'll never forget hitting -20 on 12/8/2013 in Klamath Falls. 

These blasts were both top 3 in the Klamath Falls area. The 1972 blast featured a low of -22 but I think the one in 2013 had a slightly longer duration of time below freezing. Considering the state many Decembers end up having it seems so impossible that it occurred only 10 years ago.

[FroYoBro]

1 hour ago, TacomaWx said:

Yeah I’ll probably be back up here at Highway 18 working this weekend. Haven’t had a day off in 2 weeks now with all this rain recently. 

Your job sounds insane. Hopefully you are getting well compensated!

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Gfs had another nice AR around day 11. 

[TacomaWx]

9 minutes ago, FroYoBro said:

Your job sounds insane. Hopefully you are getting well compensated!

Haha yeah it is crazy sometimes. I really enjoy it since it is sort of weather related also. 

[SnowWillarrive]

2 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

Winter is totally MIA for the northern US and Canada. 

Siberia getting all the fun. 

[Phil]

7 hours ago, ShawniganLake said:

First signs of daffodils poking up 

 

Hellebores are close to being in flower.  Which is pretty early

[Phil]

2 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

Winter is totally MIA for the northern US and Canada. 

Another win for Dr. Roundy’s tropical forcing analog composite.

https://www.atmos.albany.edu/facstaff/roundy/waves/analogs/analogs.html

[Phil]

12 minutes ago, SnowWillarrive said:

Siberia getting all the fun. 

Huge winter for Vladdy.

[Front Ranger]

2 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

Winter is totally MIA for the northern US and Canada. 

What El Niño?

It looks at this point that I might be just south enough to avoid the torch the next 10 days, but we'll see.

[Phishy Wx]

oof snow drought = bad news.  Oregon doing decent

rain is good, but rain runoff into the ocean mostly.  some goes into aquifer 

 

[Phishy Wx]

2 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

Winter is totally MIA for the northern US and Canada. 

the 'ol Canatorch

[Front Ranger]

17 minutes ago, Phil said:

Huge winter for Vladdy.

Parts of Europe are also off to a nice start. Munich, Germany just had their biggest December snowstorm on record.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/12/04/europe-snow-cold-munich-moscow-record/

[ShawniganLake]

GFS still showing heavy snowfall for some on Saturday.  The 6Z had 925mb temps of -3 to -4C with moderate precip rates. 
 

 

[the_convergence_zone]

34 minutes ago, Phishy Wx said:

oof snow drought = bad news.  Oregon doing decent

rain is good, but rain runoff into the ocean mostly.  some goes into aquifer 

 

The colors on that plot hurt my eyes. 

[the_convergence_zone]

It's really dumping rain again this morning. Half inch on the day and just hit the 6 inch mark for December. In just over 6 days LOL. 

[Front Ranger]

3 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

SEA is at 5.45 inches for December... which is 95% of the monthly normal and it appears now that we have quite a wet weekend ahead.    What was a very dry year through August is not so crazy dry any longer with 17.56 inches of rain since September 1st.  

True for SEA, but for the region overall it has not been a wet fall/early winter...hit and miss still. 

[Phishy Wx]

36 and Heavy Snow.  that was unexpected.  must be a cold pocket above

[MossMan]

.46” so far on the day. 

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

3 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

SEA is at 5.45 inches for December... which is 95% of the monthly normal and it appears now that we have quite a wet weekend ahead.    What was a very dry year through August is not so crazy dry any longer with 17.56 inches of rain since September 1st.  

I'm 74 inches on the year so far!

[Front Ranger]

7 minutes ago, MR.SNOWMIZER said:

I'm 74 inches on the year so far!

How much do you average? Looks like the Cushman powerhouse station (which I think is fairly close to you but a little higher?) averages 89"/year.

[Dave]

Light snowfall in Bend. Picked up a dusting overnight. Cool to see some flakes in the air. Hoping to score 2-3" tonight.

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

54 minutes ago, ShawniganLake said:

GFS still showing heavy snowfall for some on Saturday.  The 6Z had 925mb temps of -3 to -4C with moderate precip rates. 
 

 

I'm normally pretty good at forecasting these events but this is a tough one, i'm leaning towards just a mix and maybe a dusting above about 700ft.

[MossMan]

4 minutes ago, MR.SNOWMIZER said:

I'm 74 inches on the year so far!

I’m only at 38”…Way behind the last several years have featured. 

[Phishy Wx]

back to Light Rain, 35

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

5 minutes ago, Front Ranger said:

How much do you average? Looks like the Cushman powerhouse station (which I think is fairly close to you but a little higher?) averages 89"/year.

Around 65, Cushman powerhouse is 15 miles to my west right below Cushman. I'm already 11 inches this month. Crazy..

[Snownerd3000]

3 hours ago, TT-SEA said:

Winter is totally MIA for the northern US and Canada. 

Its clear the US is using HAARP to direct all the cold at Putin

[Rubus Leucodermis]

0.51" since midnight, 6.10" so far for the month. 41.5˚F.

[ShawniganLake]

17 minutes ago, MR.SNOWMIZER said:

I'm normally pretty good at forecasting these events but this is a tough one, i'm leaning towards just a mix and maybe a dusting above about 700ft.

My feeling is probably something similar up this way.  Might briefly see accumulating snow below 500-1000ft but probably 1” of less of accumulation.  Heavy accumulation is probably more likely above 1000-1500ft. 

[ShawniganLake]

Only received 0.27” of rain here over the last couple of days.  Monthly total is a little over 4”.  Nothing really too unusual for December.