February 2024 Weather in the PNW

[Gummy]

6 minutes ago, Phishy Wx said:

Cheer up you guys, it gets better

 

I am pretty excited about that!  It would be nice to have some above average temp spring days to get out and enjoy.  I was sick from May to the end of July last year so My prime spring/summer time was eaten away sadly.

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

44 minutes ago, Cascadia_Wx said:

Just wait until you see how crazy it’ll be ten years after.

Good one.

[TT-SEA]

Just now, SnarkyGoblin said:

This i can agree with.  Sh*tting on other's preferences on weather makes no sense to me.  It's a personal opinion and nothing more.

It used to be much worse on here.   And I was all fired up when it came to personal preferences back then too.   It feels so stupid now.   I truly don't care about anyone's weather preferences... or sexual preferences or any preferences for that matter!     

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I don't actually remember it being "worse" on here. More just the same. I think some of the newer people just cry about it more, back in the day it was just routine and no one really cared. 

Edited February 19 by SilverFallsAndrew

[TigerWoodsLibido]

Looks like we avoided the 60F burger and topped out at 57F. Cloudy and dry now and the kiddos are able to play outside so that’s nice.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Massive spread on the 18z ensembles. First week of March we have the operation up near +15C and some members dropping to near -10C. 

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

More and more people are invading mt lion territory.  There will be attacks here and there. Imo they are the most dangerous animal in the woods. They will stalk and attack you just like a house cat will a mouse.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, TigerWoodsLibido said:

Looks like we avoided the 60F burger and topped out at 57F. Cloudy and dry now and the kiddos are able to play outside so that’s nice.

I've been working outside a bit today. This is just about the most bleak and barren time of year up here. So much nicer when things are covered in snow. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, MR.SNOWMIZER said:

More and more people are invading mt lion territory.  There will be attacks here and there. Imo they are the most dangerous animal in the woods. They will stalk and attack you just like a house cat will a mouse.

Aren't wolves more dangerous? Not trying to bag on wolves, I love them, though they are hated on so much by ranchers who live on corporate welfare. 

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

1 minute ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Massive spread on the 18z ensembles. First week of March we have the operation up near +15C and some members dropping to near -10C. 

It looks like a great pattern coming up for you.  If something like the euro plays out it could be really good for many. It will be interesting to see what the gfs shows once it catches up to the euro.

[MossMan]

1 minute ago, MR.SNOWMIZER said:

More and more people are invading mt lion territory.  There will be attacks here and there. Imo they are the most dangerous animal in the woods. They will stalk and attack you just like a house cat will a mouse.

Yep, you wouldn’t even know they are there until it’s too late. Unless you have a dog with you. 

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

1 minute ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Aren't wolves more dangerous? Not trying to bag on wolves, I love them, though they are hated on so much by ranchers who live on corporate welfare. 

Around here wolves aren't a issue.  Although I have had 2 wolves on my game cams at cabin and they were tagged. I've also heard them at night.  

[TT-SEA]

18 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

I've been working outside a bit today. This is just about the most bleak and barren time of year up here. So much nicer when things are covered in snow. 

I was thinking the same thing about my yard... looked better under snow in January.   Now it's just sad.

[TacomaWx]

17 minutes ago, MR.SNOWMIZER said:

More and more people are invading mt lion territory.  There will be attacks here and there. Imo they are the most dangerous animal in the woods. They will stalk and attack you just like a house cat will a mouse.

I go camping/hiking a lot, sometimes some very remote places. Honestly people scare me way more out in the wilderness than bears or mountain lions. I do carry bear spray and a handgun for any situation…but I’ve seen bears out in the wild and never really been fearful. I’ve been in freaky situations seeing people way out in the woods multiple times. Part of why I don’t go by myself anymore. 

[MWG]

24 minutes ago, TigerWoodsLibido said:

Looks like we avoided the 60F burger and topped out at 57F. Cloudy and dry now and the kiddos are able to play outside so that’s nice.

We got to 59F here some peekaboo sun but now it's cloudy and should be raining soon. We also have a  wind advisory till like 10pm

[MossMan]

2 minutes ago, TacomaWx said:

I go camping/hiking a lot, sometimes some very remote places. Honestly people scare me way more out in the wilderness than bears or mountain lions. I do carry bear spray and a handgun for any situation…but I’ve seen bears out in the wild and never really been fearful. I’ve been in freaky situations seeing people way out in the woods multiple times. Part of why I don’t go by myself anymore. 

Yeah goes without saying that people are way more unpredictable than the wildlife. 

[DareDuck]

26 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Aren't wolves more dangerous? Not trying to bag on wolves, I love them, though they are hated on so much by ranchers who live on corporate welfare. 

Considering how few attacks there are vs. the amount of people out recreating, there’s really no point in ranking the most dangerous. Need to focus on wilderness education, the greatest danger to me is me. We’re our own worst enemy out there. 

[ShawniganLake]

42 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

My guess is the mountain lion population is a lot higher than they say officially. They've said Oregon has 6,000 for the past 25 years... We had one in our front yard a couple years ago. Lots of cougar and bear in the Silverton hills. No resident wolves yet, but we have a large deer and elk population. 

6000 is a pretty decent number. I’ve always heard Vancouver Island has the highest population density in the world but that would put Oregons population density on a very similar level.  They are pretty elusive and I’ve only ever seen 1 personally but you know they are around and occasionally make their way into populated areas like Victoria. 

[Sunriver Snow Zone]

26 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Aren't wolves more dangerous? Not trying to bag on wolves, I love them, though they are hated on so much by ranchers who live on corporate welfare. 

Wolves are not dangerous. I actually get really tired of everyone thinking wolves are dangerous animals to be afraid of. In the last 100 years in the lower 48 there has been only 1 fatal wolf attack, which was someone's pet wolf, and 3 non fatal wolf attacks. Prior to the last 100 years there were quite a bit more wolf attacks, 13 fatal ones and 9 non-fatal ones. There are so many more dangers to worry about than wolves, but yet people are so worried about wolves. One good example is, in the last 100 years, 951x more people have died because they touched a lawn mower, than people who have died because of wolf attacks, but I'd be willing to bet nobody here is afraid of a lawn mower.

 

You're just as likely to get killed by a meteorite falling out of the sky, as you are to get killed by a wolf. It's nothing for anyone to worry about.

[RaleighHillsRunner]

25 minutes ago, MossMan said:

Yep, you wouldn’t even know they are there until it’s too late. Unless you have a dog with you. 

Yeah the dog would help alert you for sure, but they also tend to pique a lions interest as well from what I’ve read. I’ve always assumed that riding/running/hiking in groups was surely the best deterrent, which is why the attack this weekend kinda blew my mind.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Sunriver Snow Zone said:

Wolves are not dangerous. I actually get really tired of everyone thinking wolves are dangerous animals to be afraid of. In the last 100 years in the lower 48 there has been only 1 fatal wolf attack, which was someone's pet wolf, and 3 non fatal wolf attacks. Prior to the last 100 years there were quite a bit more wolf attacks, 13 fatal ones and 9 non-fatal ones. There are so many more dangers to worry about than wolves, but yet people are so worried about wolves. One good example is, in the last 100 years, 951x more people have died because they touched a lawn mower, than people who have died because of wolf attacks, but I'd be willing to bet nobody here is afraid of a lawn mower.

 

You're just as likely to get killed by a meteorite falling out of the sky, as you are to get killed by a wolf. It's nothing for anyone to worry about.

Mountain Lions aren't super dangerous either. Oregon has only had one confirmed fatality, EVER, it was a few years ago near Mt. Hood. 

[RaleighHillsRunner]

1 minute ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Mountain Lions aren't super dangerous either. Oregon has only had one confirmed fatality, EVER, it was a few years ago near Mt. Hood. 

Agree it’s not something to probably worry about it too much but good to be aware. I’ve run (more like hiked ha) that zigzag trail on hood several times before and after that incident, always in the back of my mind since. Great climb and views though  

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, ShawniganLake said:

6000 is a pretty decent number. I’ve always heard Vancouver Island has the highest population density in the world but that would put Oregons population density on a very similar level.  They are pretty elusive and I’ve only ever seen 1 personally but you know they are around and occasionally make their way into populated areas like Victoria. 

Different sources say different things, but it looks like Colorado has the most cougar in the US followed by Oregon, some sources say California has as many as Oregon, but most sources show CA with 4-6K and Oregon with 6K+. The Oregon coast range has a very dense population. The Cascade foothills have a lot too. 

[TacomaWx]

18 minutes ago, MossMan said:

Yeah goes without saying that people are way more unpredictable than the wildlife. 

I came close to pulling my gun out on these guys who were driving their dirt bikes up and down this trail near me when I was by myself hiking a few years ago out near mt Adams. At first I didn’t think anything of the guys passing by me a couple times…but then they drove up the trail a ways around a corner and stopped. It was like they were trying to hide from me.

 I had a gut feeling that something was up. I had my gun in my pocket ready. I walked by him and tried to say hello to him to diffuse the situation…but the guys just blankly stared at me and didn’t respond. They were definitely not friendly and trying to intimidate me. It was extremely freaky how they kept coming by me up and down the road sizing me up. I kept going and they drove off and I didn’t see them again. I think they could tell I had a gun in my pocket I just never had to pull it out thankfully. 

[CliffMassYelledAtMe]

1 hour ago, TacomaWx said:

That issaquah/snoqualmie area has had a few sightings and attacks in recent years. I work up in that area everyday…and I think I’ll try and be more cautious when I am up there at 4-5am. Even before the attack earlier this weekend I’ve thought about the times I’m walking around on the jobsites by myself. 

Being on bikes is a huge trigger for their prey drive. Unless you're mountain biking the job site, you probably don't have to worry too much.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

The only cougar I ever saw was the one our dogs treed in May 2022. I've seen bear all over the place. We have about 30,000 black bear in Oregon. 

This is my favorite Oregon bear story. 

https://kpic.com/news/local/woman-loses-fight-to-feed-wild-oregon-bears-11-13-2015

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, TacomaWx said:

I came close to pulling my gun out on these guys who were driving their dirt bikes up and down this trail near me when I was by myself hiking a few years ago out near mt Adams. At first I didn’t think anything of the guys passing by me a couple times…but then they drove up the trail a ways around a corner and stopped. It was like they were trying to hide from me.

 I had a gut feeling that something was up. I had my gun in my pocket ready. I walked by him and tried to say hello to him to diffuse the situation…but the guys just blankly stared at me and didn’t respond. They were definitely not friendly and trying to intimidate me. It was extremely freaky how they kept coming by me up and down the road sizing me up. I kept going and they drove off and I didn’t see them again. I think they could tell I had a gun in my pocket I just never had to pull it out thankfully. 

Yeah, I always get weirded out by seeing people way out in the middle of nowhere. Of course, it's a bit of an irrational fear just based on seeing someone else. Like if I'm out there and I'm not up to no good then why would I assume that about someone else. 

I've never had an issue with anyone out in the middle of nowhere. 

[TacomaWx]

Just now, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Yeah, I always get weirded out by seeing people way out in the middle of nowhere. Of course, it's a bit of an irrational fear just based on seeing someone else. Like if I'm out there and I'm not up to no good then why would I assume that about someone else. 

I've never had an issue with anyone out in the middle of nowhere. 

Most people way out in the wilderness are friendly. Almost every encounter I’ve had with hikers and campers has always been friendly. Most people way out in the sticks are genuinely nice friendly outdoors people. I don’t know what the deal was with those guys. I didn’t do anything to them I was just on a morning hike. I wasn’t on private property…so maybe they thought that area was “theirs” somehow and thought I was killing their privacy. It does freak me out that maybe if they thought I wasn’t armed that they intended to rob me. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, TacomaWx said:

Most people way out in the wilderness are friendly. Almost every encounter I’ve had with hikers and campers has always been friendly. Most people way out in the sticks are genuinely nice friendly outdoors people. I don’t know what the deal was with those guys. I didn’t do anything to them I was just on a morning hike. I wasn’t on private property…so maybe they thought that area was “theirs” somehow and thought I was killing their privacy. It does freak me out that maybe if they thought I wasn’t armed that they intended to rob me. 

Yeah, 99.9999% of hikers are super friendly. I freak out occasionally when I'm camping near a road in the middle of nowhere and a car rolls by on this dead end dirt road at 2:30am. I don't carry a gun either. 

[Deweydog]

31 minutes ago, Sunriver Snow Zone said:

Wolves are not dangerous. I actually get really tired of everyone thinking wolves are dangerous animals to be afraid of. In the last 100 years in the lower 48 there has been only 1 fatal wolf attack, which was someone's pet wolf, and 3 non fatal wolf attacks. Prior to the last 100 years there were quite a bit more wolf attacks, 13 fatal ones and 9 non-fatal ones. There are so many more dangers to worry about than wolves, but yet people are so worried about wolves. One good example is, in the last 100 years, 951x more people have died because they touched a lawn mower, than people who have died because of wolf attacks, but I'd be willing to bet nobody here is afraid of a lawn mower.

 

You're just as likely to get killed by a meteorite falling out of the sky, as you are to get killed by a wolf. It's nothing for anyone to worry about.

What if that wolf happens to be wearing sheep clothing?

[Deweydog]

15 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Yeah, I always get weirded out by seeing people way out in the middle of nowhere. Of course, it's a bit of an irrational fear just based on seeing someone else. Like if I'm out there and I'm not up to no good then why would I assume that about someone else. 

I've never had an issue with anyone out in the middle of nowhere. 

[TacomaWx]

2 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Yeah, 99.9999% of hikers are super friendly. I freak out occasionally when I'm camping near a road in the middle of nowhere and a car rolls by on this dead end dirt road at 2:30am. I don't carry a gun either. 

In a perfect world I wouldn’t carry a gun either…but you never know who you’re going to encounter way out there in the wilderness. I know some people don’t feel it’s necessary and that’s fine I totally understand. In my opinion though those guys knowing I was carrying probably saved me from a bad situation. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

This one always unsettled me.

https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2005/07/oakridge_mystified_by_campsite.html

[Doinko]

1 month ago today, still solid snowcover on roads. The snow on roads lasted for over a week at least in side streets, I think the freezing rain on 1/16 and light glaze on 1/18 helped it stay longer. I was surprised at how well it lasted though even with temps above freezing and rain

 

[MV_snow]

3 hours ago, Meatyorologist said:

I've never interpreted anything Tim does as mockery. Maybe those warm EPS maps he posts when he's excited for the first heatwave of Spring lack some necessary room reading, but I doubt he's attaching much emotional baggage or putting any ill intention into what he says.

I definitely agree when it comes to Tim’s posts these days. He also posts plenty of cold maps that his detractors seem to just ignore. That said, I’ve been lurking here off and on since 2015 and the 2015-19 version of Tim was much worse with the blatant trolling. I think a lot of old timers here have just had a hard time moving past the old days and accepting the new and better version of him. He’s honestly one of my favorite posters now.

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

17 minutes ago, TacomaWx said:

In a perfect world I wouldn’t carry a gun either…but you never know who you’re going to encounter way out there in the wilderness. I know some people don’t feel it’s necessary and that’s fine I totally understand. In my opinion though those guys knowing I was carrying probably saved me from a bad situation. 

I do not go anywhere without a weapon in my vehicle with me, unfortunately its the world we live in. I hope I never use it but if I was ever in a situation where I needed a weapon to protect me or my family I'd rather have one than not have one on me. 

[GHweatherChris]

8 minutes ago, MV_snow said:

I definitely agree when it comes to Tim’s posts these days. He also posts plenty of cold maps that his detractors seem to just ignore. That said, I’ve been lurking here off and on since 2015 and the 2015-19 version of Tim was much worse with the blatant trolling. I think a lot of old timers here have just had a hard time moving past the old days and accepting the new and better version of him. He’s honestly one of my favorite posters now.

[Ken in Wood Village]

I'm not sure if this will work but I saw this on Facebook and thought it was interesting. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/58ySaevqpbP6isH4/?mibextid=oFDknk

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Tim's had 3 really hot summers to rub in. LOL

[TT-SEA]

22 minutes ago, GHweatherChris said:

Your only reasons for posting here are if there is snow in your backyard or to jump all over me.   Literally that is it.   

I like you Chris but don't get your obsession with me.   If I was making underhanded jabs at you all day long then I would get your obsession with me.   But I never do that.   I never think about you until you come on here to attack me.    Jesse is jabbing at me all the time.