Pacific NW August 2014 Discussion

[Jesse]

Clark County still proving to be a safe haven for those with PTSD-related issues with loud, booming noises.

Two severe warned storms heading right for my area.

[Deweydog]

Two severe warned storms heading right for my area.

Shelter in place! Western troughing!

[TT-SEA]

SEA jumped from 71 to 81 in the last hour with sunshine.

 

Hopefully the stage is set up here now.    

[BLI snowman]

Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Portland, think that's the 2nd time in history.

[TT-SEA]

Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Portland, think that's the 2nd time in history.

 

 

Most of the action seems to be lifting past PDX at this time.   

[BLI snowman]

Most of the action seems to be lifting past PDX at this time.   

 

Most of the valleys seem to be escaping the strong convection today. More elevation dependent so far, the echoes west of the crest are all pretty weak. 

[Deweydog]

Most of the action seems to be lifting past PDX at this time.   

 

Had some sporadic stuff move through about an hour ago, but things definitely feel like they're stabilizing.  

[TT-SEA]

Had some sporadic stuff move through about an hour ago, but things definitely feel like they're stabilizing.  

 

 

I can't tell if that mass of rain and lightning to my southeast will actually make it here.    The clouds are really outpacing the precip... its very dark here now but the rain is still quite far away.    Seems to be robbing the convective potential.

[TT-SEA]

Yeah, probably nothing to even get remotely excited about. Plus thunder scares pets and old people.

Not really excited... but would be nice to have a good rain. Just had a rumble of thunder now.

[Deweydog]

In not-so-convective news, the July PDO comes in at .70.  This was the highest July reading EVER in years which end in "4."  

[Deweydog]

Wenatchee keeps racking them up... After breaking their all-time max/min record in early July, they look to tie the old record again tonight and set a new August record if things get held up.  I realize there's a thermometer in Leavenworth that's close to a parking lot so Wenatchee's numbers are HIGHLY suspect, but that's still pretty impressive.  

[Jesse]

Wenatchee keeps racking them up... After breaking their all-time max/min record in early July, they look to tie the old record again tonight and set a new August record if things get held up. I realize there's a thermometer in Leavenworth that's close to a parking lot so Wenatchee's numbers are HIGHLY suspect, but that's still pretty impressive.

Have any other east side stations pulled off a similar feat this summer?

[Deweydog]

Have any other east side stations pulled off a similar feat this summer?

I don't know, and I'm not enough of a conspiracy-theorist to care. I do know it's been toasty over there and cloudy at times.

[Jesse]

I don't know, and I'm not enough of a conspiracy-theorist to care. I do know it's been toasty over there and cloudy at times.

Ok, thanks.

[Jesse]

Stuck around in Stevenson for the awesomeness early this afternoon then drove out east to Bingen, Lyle and eventually Centerville. Hit some pretty intense lightning and bouts of heavy rain along the way.

 

Plain old stratiform rain back in Stevenson now. The temperature is down to a delightful 68.

[Jesse]

PDX still at 71. Where's that marine air? They might set the August record two days in a row.

[Deweydog]

PDX still at 71. Where's that marine air? They might set the August record two days in a row.

 

Gradients are pretty weak and getting weaker, my boy.  

[Brian_in_Leavenworth]

Wenatchee keeps racking them up... After breaking their all-time max/min record in early July, they look to tie the old record again tonight and set a new August record if things get held up.  I realize there's a thermometer in Leavenworth that's close to a parking lot so Wenatchee's numbers are HIGHLY suspect, but that's still pretty impressive.  

My point was I am always suspicious of "record max low" temps when they are at places like airports (Wenatchee's is at Panghorn Airport), since they get a lot of heating from the cement, especially at night..  My example was how temps can be quite a bit different just a short distance away if the thermometer is not next to a lot of pavement like the ones at airports are or the one in Leavenworth, which is right next to a parking lot.

[Deweydog]

My point was I am always suspicious of "record max low" temps when they are at places like airports (Wenatchee's is at Panghorn Airport), since they get a lot of heating from the cement, especially at night..  My example was how temps can be quite a bit different just a short distance away if the thermometer is not next to a lot of pavement like the ones at airports are or the one in Leavenworth, which is right next to a parking lot.

 

Just about every official recording station is at an airport.  Pangborn's surroundings and configuration haven't undergone any radical changes of late, at least to my knowledge.  Sometimes you just have to call balls and strikes and leave it at that.  

[Jesse]

Gradients are pretty weak and getting weaker, my boy.  

 

Crazy. Because I distinctly remember a Hockinson lawyer dismissing the idea of the record being set two days in a row just last night.

[TT-SEA]

.30 here so far.

 

Gentle stratiform rain now.

[Jesse]

Just about every official recording station is at an airport.  Pangborn's surroundings and configuration haven't undergone any radical changes of late, at least to my knowledge.  Sometimes you just have to call balls and strikes and leave it at that.  

 

All of this back and fourth may be a moot point soon! KEAT down to 78 and dropping!!

[epiceast]

My point was I am always suspicious of "record max low" temps when they are at places like airports (Wenatchee's is at Panghorn Airport), since they get a lot of heating from the cement, especially at night..  My example was how temps can be quite a bit different just a short distance away if the thermometer is not next to a lot of pavement like the ones at airports are or the one in Leavenworth, which is right next to a parking lot.

Parking lots have more of an effect during the day I think. The specific heat of asphalt is not that high(like water). 

[Deweydog]

All of this back and fourth may be a moot point soon! KEAT down to 78 and dropping!!

 

Tee hee!  I thought you were e teecher!?!!?

 

Anyway, the July record is old news.  Although it remains a hot button issue throughout the asphalt and Portland Cement contractor communities.  

[Tyler Mode]

Regardless of how it turned out, I personally have never seen a Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued that included Vancouver/Battle Ground etc. 

I drove up into the Gorge with a bud and we were right in the middle of a storm with several close strikes just as the storm was dying.  We headed to Stevenson and saw a few strikes there, but nothing too impressive.

 

Right now it's raining lightly, but there are just a few more strikes in the valley.

[Jesse]

Tee hee!  I thought you were e teecher!?!!?

 

Anyway, the July record is old news.  Although it remains a hot button issue throughout the asphalt and Portland Cement contractor communities.  

 

What is the August record?

[Deweydog]

What is the August record?

 

76, I think.  Doesn't look good...

[Jesse]

Regardless of how it turned out, I personally have never seen a Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued that included Vancouver/Battle Ground etc. 

I drove up into the Gorge with a bud and we were right in the middle of a storm with several close strikes just as the storm was dying.  We headed to Stevenson and saw a few strikes there, but nothing too impressive.

 

Right now it's raining lightly, but there are just a few more strikes in the valley.

 

You must have missed the biggie earlier this afternoon.

[Deweydog]

00z is a good compromise.  Tons of troughing, but some snippets of summery weather to keep the 99%-ers at least mildly content.  

[TT-SEA]

00z is a good compromise.  Tons of troughing, but some snippets of summery weather to keep the 99%-ers at least mildly content.  

 

 

Snippets?   500mb heights are generally above 580DM for the entire run.

 

Definitely a cooler, less humid flow... but still summery.     Really its just more normal summer weather for us.

[Deweydog]

Snippets?   500mb heights are generally above 580DM for the entire run.

 

Definitely a cooler, less humid flow... but still summery.     Really its just more normal summer weather for us.

 

I'd call the next three days troughtastic, then another one is knocking on our door just a week out.  #westerntroughing

[TT-SEA]

I'd call the next three days troughtastic, then another one is knocking on our door just a week out.  #westerntroughing

 

 

Yeah... I am looking past the next 3 days.   This is really cut-off ULL-tastic right now.

 

The one next week just clips us and barely dents the 500mb heights.   Enough to deliver fresh air and low humidity low though.

[Tyler Mode]

We were there around 2pm.  I would say I wasn't impressed with the amount of lightning, though we both commented on one strike.  I don't think it was too close, but the "wave" from the thunder was such that you could feel it hit you. 

You must have missed the biggie earlier this afternoon.

[Jesse]

76, I think. Doesn't look good...

Yeah, down to 73 now.

 

PDX still holding at 71. Maybe they'll tie the record again tomorrow.

[Deweydog]

Yeah, down to 73 now.

 

PDX still holding at 71.

 

PDX has managed to stay pretty dry, so that has helped.  I'm not sure why the NWS has commented so much about the strong onshore push.  It's tough to get one going with these cut off lows and all the divergence.  A lot of their calls the last couple days have been pretty iffy.  

 

It's been raining and or drizzling out here since about 3pm and we're chilling out at 67 with dp of 65.  In fact, it's been 67 since I got home at 4:30.  Mmmmmm....

 

As for Wenatchee, it's amazing what happens when you wet down the concrete.  

[Tyler Mode]

Never seen this west of the mountains:

 

http://www.kptv.com/story/26264091/man-may-have-fallen-into-sandy-river-when-bridgewashed-away?autostart=true

[Jesse]

PDX has managed to stay pretty dry, so that has helped. I'm not sure why the NWS has commented so much about the strong onshore push. It's tough to get one going with these cut off lows and all the divergence. A lot of their calls the last couple days have been pretty iffy.

 

It's been raining and or drizzling out here since about 3pm and we're chilling out at 67 with dp of 65. In fact, it's been 67 since I got home at 4:30. Mmmmmm....

 

As for Wenatchee, it's amazing what happens when you wet down the concrete.

I imagine they will have to return to a more normal temperature/DP profile at some point.

[TT-SEA]

More thunder... moderate rain.

[TT-SEA]

Raining so hard now that the DirectTV satellite is out.

[epiceast]

Looks like North Cascades got a nice storm line going. It might make it to Bellingham.