March 2024 Weather in the PNW

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

For Western Washington at 1k feet I doubt you can beat lake cushman for snow and be close to a major town.  Shelton only takes 25 to 30 minutes.  I lived up there in 2012 and had over 100 inches of snow, had snow on the ground December to mid March, max depth was 44 inches. Biggest storm was 38 inches. The area Is a snow magnet.

[Frontal Snowsquall]

55 minutes ago, Perturbed Member said:

Spent most of the day in the Coast Range between 1000-1500 ft. I never quite get used to how drastically different the microclimates in our region can be. Completely different world today once you get to even about 700 ft there. Absolute winter wonderland with on and off snow all day and awesome orographic enhancement of these showers.

I've grown pretty tired of the ultra marginal climate down at the lowest elevations and now days I just drive up a bit in elevation to find more interesting weather. Next time I move I'm really going to try to get up to at least 500 ft if not 1000 ft+. The Coast Range or SW WA Cascade foothills still at the top of my list I think. 

I love the Northern Oregon Coast Range. Whenever I go to the Coast I always try and stop by to enjoy the natural habitat there. It’s a true oceanic climate once you get up there in elevation.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, umadbro said:

Gonna need that to shift North by about 50 miles please and thank you.

That would be fine with me. And we can bet Roseburg is no actually going to see accumulating snow from this (Speaking of hideous winter climes), so why waste phantom snow on them? 

This got me thinking of one of the coolest micro-climates I am aware of in SW Oregon. Scottsburg along the Umpqua River west of Roseburg is only about 40' above sea level. Yet they often see snow when the snow level is 1000-1500' feet as the river canyon is very narrow there and cold air gets trapped in the canyon pretty easily. That area got hammered with the February 2019 snow event. The recreation area at Loon Lake which is about 400' and in a deep canyon was closed for a couple years due to damage from the snow (trees down). 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, MR.SNOWMIZER said:

For Western Washington at 1k feet I doubt you can beat lake cushman for snow and be close to a major town.  Shelton only takes 25 to 30 minutes.  I lived up there in 2012 and had over 100 inches of snow, had snow on the ground December to mid March, max depth was 44 inches. Biggest storm was 38 inches. The area Is a snow magnet.

That was a great winter for folx with any elevation. A peasants 2007-08, actually it was probably quite a bit better for snow in the lowlands than 07-08', though a bit warmer overall. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

The GFS is WAY south. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

GEM looks south too. Right now we are praying for the NAM and the EURO, and the NAM is too far south for many. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

I wonder if this does track south if the Rogue Valley will lose a lot of the shadowing once the low moves east. Good timing on that wrap back precip too. 

[Phishy Wx]

was a graupel fest most of the day.  didn't amount to much but so cool to watch

[FroYoBro]

I’m living vicariously through the coast range cams. Lee is getting buried right now.

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

16 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

That was a great winter for folx with any elevation. A peasants 2007-08, actually it was probably quite a bit better for snow in the lowlands than 07-08', though a bit warmer overall. 

There is 8-12 inches up there right now.

[Front Ranger]

58 minutes ago, TT-SEA said:

OK ICON... sure.  

60-hour snow totals are silly low and already wrong based on @MR.SNOWMIZER reports.  And the Monday/Tuesday system goes way south.

[MR.SNOWMIZER]

I've always wanted to explore capital forest for places to live around 1000ft. They get tons of snow and I think the highest point is around 3k

[MossMan]

It’s time…

Since everything is going south anyway. 

[Front Ranger]

24 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

That would be fine with me. And we can bet Roseburg is no actually going to see accumulating snow from this (Speaking of hideous winter climes), so why waste phantom snow on them? 

This got me thinking of one of the coolest micro-climates I am aware of in SW Oregon. Scottsburg along the Umpqua River west of Roseburg is only about 40' above sea level. Yet they often see snow when the snow level is 1000-1500' feet as the river canyon is very narrow there and cold air gets trapped in the canyon pretty easily. That area got hammered with the February 2019 snow event. The recreation area at Loon Lake which is about 400' and in a deep canyon was closed for a couple years due to damage from the snow (trees down). 

Even my parents in Myrtle Creek did really well in Feb 2019. I think they got 10" or so.

[Deweydog]

12 minutes ago, FroYoBro said:

I’m living vicariously through the coast range cams. Lee is getting buried right now.

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Just now, Front Ranger said:

Even my parents in Myrtle Creek did really well in Feb 2019. I think they got 10" or so.

Myrtle Creek probably does a bit better than Roseburg in general? That would be my assumption at least. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

That area around Myrtle Creek, Canyonville, up towards Tiller and above on the South Umpqua is straight out of Deliverance, but it's ruggedly beautiful and quintessential Oregon to me. My brother and law is a big gambler and can usually get us a complimentary room at Seven Feathers, so we try to get down there 2-3 times a year. 

Edited March 3 by SilverFallsAndrew

[Meatyorologist]

R/S on maple leaf.

[MossMan]

Just had a 35 degree rain shower. 

[Front Ranger]

19 minutes ago, SilverFallsAndrew said:

Myrtle Creek probably does a bit better than Roseburg in general? That would be my assumption at least. 

I believe where my parents live is about 150' higher than Roseburg. So marginally better probably.

[Cascadia_Wx]

Ended up with a very chilly (for March) 41/33 day here. Some sticking snow in the early morning hours, then mostly cloudy with flurries and showers at times the rest of the day. 

Some clearing this evening and down to 35 already. Those showers to the WSW look to be making very slow inland progress. Coast range is getting hammered  

[Cascadia_Wx]

11 minutes ago, Front Ranger said:

I believe where my parents live is about 150' higher than Roseburg. So marginally better probably.

Topography matters too. Not just elevation. I know that Myrtle Creek is in the south Umpqua Canyon. Not sure if it benefits from cold air getting trapped, or being blocked from modifying winds. The terrain certainly gets more mountainous heading that direction, with several spots even along I-5 getting well above 2,000’ asl.

I think what makes Roseburg proper so mild is that the coast range to its west is relatively low (even compared to Northern Oregon) and there’s no real low level cold air source, unlike the Willamette valley just to the north of the Kalapuya Divide, which under the right circumstances has direct low level access to continental cold from the Gorge (see January ice storm).

Areas to the south in the Rouge Valley do a bit better thanks to the fact that the Siskiyous/Klamaths to their west are quite high/rugged, and better at blocking marine influence, plus that valley just has more elevation period, much of it sitting near or above 1,000’.

Edited March 3 by Cascadia_Wx

[MWG]

34F and light snow. 

[ShawniganLake]

Nice and clear out tonight. Just dropped below freezing.   

[Weiner Warrior]

Gotta get my beach calendar out now that summer has arrived. Can't wait for the 90 degree weather

[ShawniganLake]

WRF is on the good stuff tonight.  Huge snow totals across southern Vancouver island the next couple days. Looks like 3 feet is likely around Nanaimo.  

[Front Ranger]

29 minutes ago, Cascadia_Wx said:

Topography matters too. Not just elevation. I know that Myrtle Creek is in the south Umpqua Canyon. Not sure if it benefits from cold air getting trapped, or being blocked from modifying winds. The terrain certainly gets more mountainous heading that direction, with several spots even along I-5 getting well above 2,000’ asl.

I think what makes Roseburg proper so mild is that the coast range to its west is relatively low (even compared to Northern Oregon) and there’s no real low level cold air source, unlike the Willamette valley just to the north of the Kalapuya Divide, which under the right circumstances has direct low level access to continental cold from the Gorge (see January ice storm).

Areas to the south in the Rouge Valley do a bit better thanks to the fact that the Siskiyous/Klamaths to their west are quite high/rugged, and better at blocking marine influence, plus that valley just has more elevation period, much of it sitting near or above 1,000’.

Could be. I've definitely noticed how the coast range to the west elevates south of Roseburg, although not sure how much greater that blockage is in Myrtle Creek.

And it's Rogue. 

[MossMan]

12 minutes ago, ShawniganLake said:

WRF is on the good stuff tonight.  Huge snow totals across southern Vancouver island the next couple days. Looks like 3 feet is likely around Nanaimo.  

Every single model shows my area getting missed either from the south or from the north…Or the south and north!! 

[seattleweatherguy]

Any more moisture tonight after this wave?

[Frontal Snowsquall]

KPTV still going with a First Alert weather day for Monday morning. The 00z GFS and RGEM show snow down to sea level during that timeframe. Possible snow day on Monday or at least 2 hour late opening/half day. We shall see.

[Cascadia_Wx]

18 minutes ago, Front Ranger said:

Could be. I've definitely noticed how the coast range to the west elevates south of Roseburg, although not sure how much greater that blockage is in Myrtle Creek.

And it's Rogue. 

That would be autocorrect. I’ve been camping in the area for over 20 years now, I know how it’s spelled

[Front Ranger]

12 minutes ago, MossMan said:

Every single model shows my area getting missed either from the south or from the north…Or the south and north!! 

[Chewbacca Defense]

9 minutes ago, Cascadia_Wx said:

That would be autocorrect. I’ve been camping in the area for over 20 years now, I know how it’s spelled

So you're saying spell check went rogue on you?

[Phishy Wx]

Donner 2.0

 

 

 

[MossMan]

9 minutes ago, Phishy Wx said:

Donner 2.0

 

 

 

[Doinko]

Nearly a sub 40 high today, 40/34. Already down to 35.

[the_convergence_zone]

13 minutes ago, Phishy Wx said:

Donner 2.0

 

 

 

Why were so many people trying to drive through those passes? And why were they even open?

Can’t wait for politicians to blame the meteorologists for this, ugh. 

[Doinko]

There's some precip approaching on radar, hopefully it makes it here.

[Phishy Wx]

 

 

[MossMan]

Down to 34.7 and chunky rain finally! Also windy.