February 2024 Weather in the PNW

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, snow_wizard said:

Madrona are extremely picky about where they grow.  They do not grow in the area I live in.  Probably the dry east wind.

I have a nice Madrona on my property. 

[Phishy Wx]

5 minutes ago, LowerGarfield said:

Something that keeps me up at night is if I should focus on buying some property closer to Spokane long term goal for my son or work toward my son's college although for non stem it may not be worth it whereas he could survive with a house. Living in the sticks isn't an option for the kids, though it worked for us specifically. My parents who are pushing 70 in CA told me they are considering Wyoming because they don't have an income tax or tax retirement income. These are people who probably consider places like north SnoCo to be conservative. I told them they should just move to the Seattle or Spokane area in that case.

Already below freezing, 31F.

What do you west siders think of the CMC snowstorm at the end of the run? I can only look with some envy but like I've said, this winter has been better to me than the last and I'll probably get somewhere between 1-2.5 inches in the next 48 hours or so based on almost all models so I can't complain.

I'll sell u my place

[LowerGarfield]

34 minutes ago, Phishy Wx said:

I wish we could get some Pacific Madrone on Spokane.  miss those trees from the Santa Cruz Mtns, vivid brownish red bark

 

As a former Californian, Madrone is one of my favorites.

[Slushy Inch]

Odd system on gem. Highs in low 30s in western Wa at the end.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

This GFS run isn't great. But we're still in the ballgame. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Kinky

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Lookin' good.

Northern Oregon Cascades-
Including the cities of Government Camp and Santiam Pass
218 PM PST Tue Feb 13 2024

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM WEDNESDAY TO
10 PM PST THURSDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of up to 1
  to 2 feet above 2500 feet. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph.

* WHERE...Northern Oregon Cascades above 2000 feet.

* WHEN...From 4 AM Wednesday to 10 PM PST Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. The combination of
  heavy snow and gusty winds may lead to whiteout conditions at
  times. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snow levels near 3500 feet south of
  Detroit Lake, but lowering down to 2000 feet north of Detroit
  Lake. Lighter snow expected below 1000 feet near the Columbia
  River Gorge.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Since it's turned into a housing discussion, I am actually getting ready to sell my place in Bellingham now that I officially have Canadian permanent residency.

I won't even mention prices in Vancouver. They are obscene and I don't want @iFred banning me for posting obscenity here.

Probably going to continue renting for a while because I have a pretty good deal (which due to rent control is basically locked in). Plus I have looked at condos and simply none of them are as suitable for my wants and needs as my current place.

[Slushy Inch]

Arctic air makes it into Wa on gem. Almost 10 days away

[Phishy Wx]

23 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

How do we feel about the long term real estate prospects for the Spokane area? I'm pulling together a group to go in on 3-4 properties up there. Real estate value long term is secondary, we are going to use them for a business venture we are starting, but I feel like there is still some growth in the real estate market out there... These are residential properties.

what part of town? values skyrocketed during covid since this was a 'zoom' town for remote workers.  its flattening some now with the high interest rates.  the good school areas are the most expensive zip codes like most places.  Mt Spokane, Liberty Lake, Mead , Mica, Valleyford.  In town there are still deals but also crappy neighborhoods.  South Hill or Kendall Yards is where young professionals live if they're in Spokane proper

[LowerGarfield]

3 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Since it's turned into a housing discussion, I am actually getting ready to sell my place in Bellingham now that I officially have Canadian permanent residency.

I won't even mention prices in Vancouver. They are obscene and I don't want @iFred banning me for posting obscenity here.

Probably going to continue renting for a while because I have a pretty good deal (which due to rent control is basically locked in). Plus I have looked at condos and simply none of them are as suitable for my wants and needs as my current place.

That's great! How long until you become a Canadian citizen?

@Phishy Wx don't go, Spokane is still a popular place. Need more east side posters not less.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Since it's turned into a housing discussion, I am actually getting ready to sell my place in Bellingham now that I officially have Canadian permanent residency.

I won't even mention prices in Vancouver. They are obscene and I don't want @iFred banning me for posting obscenity here.

Probably going to continue renting for a while because I have a pretty good deal (which due to rent control is basically locked in). Plus I have looked at condos and simply none of them are as suitable for my wants and needs as my current place.

Yeah, my understanding is speculation from foreign nationals ruined the market there. Something else we should probably address in the United States but won't. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Phishy Wx said:

what part of town? values skyrocketed during covid since this was a 'zoom' town for remote workers.  its flattening some now with the high interest rates.  the good school areas are the most expensive zip codes like most places.  Mt Spokane, Liberty Lake, Mead , Mica, Valleyford.  In town there are still deals but also crappy neighborhoods.  South Hill or Kendall Yards is where young professionals live if they're in Spokane proper

Probably Spokane Valley. Like I said, the investment isn't really in real estate. Residential treatment facilities. 

[Sunriver Snow Zone]

It's gonna snow, for sure.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

11 minutes ago, snow_wizard said:

Madrona are extremely picky about where they grow.  They do not grow in the area I live in.  Probably the dry east wind.

Or the wrong soil or exposure.

They are a Mediterranean climate species at the northern end of their range. Usually one sees them near salt water, usually on south facing slopes that bake dry in the summer. Same for manzanita, though our species of those are more cold hardy than madrone.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Or the wrong soil or exposure.

They are a Mediterranean climate species at the northern end of their range. Usually one sees them near salt water, usually on south facing slopes that bake dry in the summer. Same for manzanita, though our species of those are more cold hardy than madrone.

I have a huge manzanita too though the goats have eaten away the lower parts of it. 

[Rubus Leucodermis]

5 minutes ago, LowerGarfield said:

That's great! How long until you become a Canadian citizen?

@Phishy Wx

About five more years if all goes accordingly.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

1 minute ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

I have a huge manzanita too though the goats have eaten away the lower parts of it. 

There is (or was, before it burned, though manzanita is known for resprouting after a fire) lots of manzanita around Breitenbush Hot Springs, and that area is significantly higher and colder than yours. As I said, it is quite hardy.

[Phishy Wx]

9 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Probably Spokane Valley. Like I said, the investment isn't really in real estate. Residential treatment facilities. 

I'm on the SV/LL line (Green Acres/Saltese area).  Central Valley is the best schools and contains the brand new Ridgeline HS (thing cost like 150 million to build). why my property taxes are so D**n high and no kids lol

 

you'll probably want to focus near I-90 and the Sprague Ave area for that type thing

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Rubus Leucodermis said:

There is (or was, before it burned, though manzanita is known for resprouting after a fire) lots of manzanita around Breitenbush Hot Springs, and that area is significantly higher and colder than yours. As I said, it is quite hardy.

It's about 2300' there. 

[Sunriver Snow Zone]

20 degrees now, low of 9. The ground's getting nice and frozen in time for the snow, despite the high of 48. our upper 40s in the afternoon lasts much less time then the cold temps though, so the ground stays frozen. I'm going to forecast 10-16 inches of snow by the weekend, we'll see if I'm right. Really hoping a lot of the forecasts calling for us to get in the lower 40s for a high on Thursday are wrong, it seems unrealistic but we'll see.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

10 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Yeah, my understanding is speculation from foreign nationals ruined the market there. Something else we should probably address in the United States but won't. 

Mostly from Canadians, but there are a lot of Canadians living abroad in Hong Kong. Preference for other parts of the Commonwealth made it easier for them to get citizenship. Once they got it they moved back. The goal was to get it while they could as a hedge against Chinese rule.

It's now illegal to buy residential real estate in Canada unless you are a citizen or permanent resident.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Phishy Wx said:

I'm on the SV/LL line (Green Acres/Saltese area).  Central Valley is the best schools and contains the brand new Ridgeline HS (thing cost like 150 million to build). why my property taxes are so D**n high and no kids lol

The one good thing we do well here in the Silver Falls district is to vote down school bonds. This conversation is interesting to me because I didn't even realize people moved places because of schools. I've done alright and my brother is a successful attorney and we didn't even go to school as kids. 

Edited February 14 by SilverFallsAndrew

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Mostly from Canadians, but there are a lot of Canadians living abroad in Hong Kong. Preference for other parts of the Commonwealth made it easier for them to get citizenship. Once they got it they moved back. The goal was to get it while they could as a hedge against Chinese rule.

It's now illegal to buy residential real estate in Canada unless you are a citizen or permanent resident.

Interesting. Thanks for the perspective. It makes sense. 

Another question I have is there a lot of public land in Canada like in the Western US? At the very least there seems to be a ton of open space given the massive size of the country and the relatively small population. Is there ever talk of opening up some of that land for development? 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Sunriver Snow Zone said:

20 degrees now, low of 9. The ground's getting nice and frozen in time for the snow, despite the high of 48. our upper 40s in the afternoon lasts much less time then the cold temps though, so the ground stays frozen. I'm going to forecast 10-16 inches of snow by the weekend, we'll see if I'm right. Really hoping a lot of the forecasts calling for us to get in the lower 40s for a high on Thursday are wrong, it seems unrealistic but we'll see.

The upcoming event seems like it would give you guys a decent amount of snow. How much do you average there? I've heard before that the La Pine area averages around 110" a year. 

[RentonHill]

46 minutes ago, MossMan said:

I could have bought the lot next door to my uncles summer place on Lake Entiat for $12k also in 2001…I am still kicking myself for not jumping on that.  

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Just now, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Interesting. Thanks for the perspective. It makes sense. 

Another question I have is there a lot of public land in Canada like in the Western US? At the very least there seems to be a ton of open space given the massive size of the country and the relatively small population. Is there ever talk of opening up some of that land for development? 

Huge amounts. BC is something like 90% Crown land.

Trouble is, BC is also mostly mountains. What is not mountains or city in SWBC is mostly farm land, and it is the most fertile land with the mildest climate in Canada.

Focus is on making it easier to densify existing built up areas. Should have been done about 40 years ago. Now it's going to take decades to fill in the hole it took decades to dig.

[SouthHillFrosty]

We just got GEMED

[bainbridgekid]

10 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Interesting. Thanks for the perspective. It makes sense. 

Another question I have is there a lot of public land in Canada like in the Western US? At the very least there seems to be a ton of open space given the massive size of the country and the relatively small population. Is there ever talk of opening up some of that land for development? 

It's amazing how empty most of Canada is. It's the 4th least populated large region on Earth behind Antarctica, the Saraha and Greenland.

And not only do 90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US, but 50% of Canadians live South of Portland, Oregon in that tiny little triangle that dips South between NY and Michigan below the red line.

[Slushy Inch]

1 minute ago, SouthHillFrosty said:

We just got GEMED

Euro follows gem?

[Slushy Inch]

GEPS still looks decent for late month.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Huge amounts. BC is something like 90% Crown land.

Trouble is, BC is also mostly mountains. What is not mountains or city in SWBC is mostly farm land, and it is the most fertile land with the mildest climate in Canada.

Focus is on making it easier to densify existing built up areas. Should have been done about 40 years ago. Now it's going to take decades to fill in the hole it took decades to dig.

Makes sense. That's one of the issues here in Oregon. The Willamette Valley is our most densely populated region, but also one of the most fertile agricultural regions there is. We wouldn't really want to fill it with sprawling development. So how do we sustainably grow the housing supply. Probably helps Oregon is losing population, but we still need like 400,000 more housing units to adequately address our current need. The fact is since about 2008 there has been very little development here. I was looking at new housing units by decade in our area and starting with the Great recession everything just stopped.

[SnowWillarrive]

13 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Interesting. Thanks for the perspective. It makes sense. 

Another question I have is there a lot of public land in Canada like in the Western US? At the very least there seems to be a ton of open space given the massive size of the country and the relatively small population. Is there ever talk of opening up some of that land for development? 

From a practical perspective most of BC isn’t even developable. Land use rules are only going to continue to drive prices up. Barring some economic calamity. I suppose the same applies for most of WA/OR as well. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Slushy Inch said:

GEPS still looks decent for late month.

SCORE

[SnowWillarrive]

6 minutes ago, bainbridgekid said:

It's amazing how empty most of Canada is. It's the 4th least populated large region on Earth behind Antarctica, the Saraha and Greenland.

And not only do 90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US, but 50% of Canadians live South of Portland, Oregon in that tiny little triangle that dips South between NY and Michigan below the red line.

Crazy to think most of the Canadian population lives south of Puget Sound region. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, SnowWillarrive said:

Crazy to think most of the Canadian population lives south of Puget Sound region. 

The United States should annex BC to create a land bridge to Alaska. We could leave Vancouver alone and it could become something of a city state, like Singapore. 

[bainbridgekid]

2 minutes ago, SnowWillarrive said:

Crazy to think most of the Canadian population lives south of Puget Sound region. 

We think of the 49th parallel as being the CA/US border, but 70% of Canadians actually live South of that line. Pretty amazing.

[Phishy Wx]

26 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

The one good thing we do well here in the Silver Falls district is to vote down school bonds. This conversation is interesting to me because I didn't even realize people moved places because of schools. I've done alright and my brother is a successful attorney and we didn't even go to school as kids. 

we had two bonds we voted on today to raise levies again for schools and school services.  voted against both.  hope they fail

[Rubus Leucodermis]

4 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

The United States should annex BC to create a land bridge to Alaska. We could leave Vancouver alone and it could become something of a city state, like Singapore. 

1845 called. It wants its talking point back.

https://study.com/academy/lesson/54-40-or-fight-slogan-history-significance-quiz.html#:~:text=The "54-40 or Fight,Destiny would first be used.

[BLI snowman]

14 minutes ago, bainbridgekid said:

It's amazing how empty most of Canada is. It's the 4th least populated large region on Earth behind Antarctica, the Saraha and Greenland.

And not only do 90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US, but 50% of Canadians live South of Portland, Oregon in that tiny little triangle that dips South between NY and Michigan below the red line.

Interestingly, the southernmost point in Canada is south of parts of 27 states. More than half the country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Island_(Lake_Erie)