December 2020 Weather Observations for the PNW

[snow_wizard]

2 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Chilliwack, BC got about a 1 m of snow last January, and some models show them getting 50 cm this time. Be glad nobody is posting from there to gloat. It's still in the lowlands but far enough east that they are to Bellingham as Belligham is to Eugene or perhaps Redding.

I remember they got clobbered in 2016-17 also.  Ridiculous amounts of snow.  Sometimes the cold / dry air can really hurt them though if the outflow is too strong.

[Chewbacca Defense]

22 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

Went to college in northern Utah in a climate where the snow could last until April. It sucked. Dirty, slushy, trashy (literally, filled with all the trash that got buried during the winter and was now melting out) snow making everything look drab. Oh, and it still has a high albedo so forget about that sprig sunshine accomplishing much. So you get to hear the Salt Lake stations boast about another glorious spring day well into the 60's, but your high was in the 38–42 range AGAIN. With not a green thing in sight.

It sucked.

Yes there CAN be such a thing as too much snow.

My son is coming home from Bozeman on Thursday, and when I told him we might get snow he was not too enthused....he said "I want dark, grey, rain, drizzle, wet"  LOL!

[Rubus Leucodermis]

Just now, Chewbacca Defense said:

My son is coming home from Bozeman on Thursday, and when I told him we might get snow he was not too enthused....he said "I want dark, grey, rain, drizzle, wet"  LOL!

Anything that falls tomorrow should be long gone by Thursday. Your son will have his wish granted.

[FroYoBro]

It’s raining. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

Got home tonight. We had about 6” of rain while I was gone. 

[SilverFallsAndrew]

9.85” of rain on the month now. We will likely end up above average on the month. 

[Deweydog]

Just now, SilverFallsAndrew said:

9.85” of rain on the month now. We will likely end up above average on the month. 

Sounds wettish.

How ‘bout temperatures?

[Timmy]

8 minutes ago, FroYoBro said:

It’s raining. 

It’s pouring

[MossMan]

Currently 43 degrees and cloudy. 
.03” on the day. 

[VancouverIslandSouth]

7 minutes ago, snow_wizard said:

I remember they got clobbered in 2016-17 also.  Ridiculous amounts of snow.  Sometimes the cold / dry air can really hurt them though if the outflow is too strong.

That's the funny thing about Victoria, we often get too much outflow for snow. Another interesting aspect is that we almost never get snow with above freezing temperatures, nearly all our snow falls below 30F (especially away from the water). We rarely get 33F snow, when it does happen it's usually light and doesn't stick. In the nearly 20 years I've lived here I've never seen a marginal intensity-driven event like the models have hinted at for tomorrow result in significant accumulation.

[MossMan]

Just now, Timmy said:

It’s pouring

The old man is...anxiously awaiting the Euro? 

[Gradient Keeper]

3 minutes ago, Timmy said:

It’s pouring

the models are boring

[SilverFallsAndrew]

4 minutes ago, Deweydog said:

Sounds wettish.

How ‘bout temperatures?

Been pretty warm! Average high is about 40 and it is 48 right now.

[wxmet]

Can’t wait to sled down trace amounts of snow 

[VancouverIslandSouth]

4 minutes ago, hawkstwelve said:

Pretty cool to see the rapid cooling of the column tomorrow being modeled.

At 1 PM surface temps are low/mid 50s from Seattle south, 925mb temps are at +8/9c, and 850s are at +5c. Just an hour later surface temps are on either side of 40, 925mb at 0c, and 850s are -2c.

The WRF shows cold air piling against East Vancouver Island then sliding down the Strait and arriving down there late afternoon (I've found in the past it's usually a bit quick in its timing):

 

[MossMan]

My generator was running 2yrs ago today! 

[Brian_in_Leavenworth]

35 minutes ago, snow_wizard said:

I think the Cascades get more than Colorado.

Places like Mt. Baker certainly do, and of course Mt. Rainier.  I think the Washington ski areas, except the ones East of the Cascades, get more snow than most of the Colorado resorts.  But it is heavier, wetter snow than the powder Colorado areas get.  And of course their ski areas are at a much higher altitude as ours, as are their mountain communities.  The mountain towns where the ski areas are get typically 160-200 inches (ski areas get 300-350 inches).

[wxmet]

UKMET 00z says no snow except those East of the EPSL.

[Deweydog]

5 minutes ago, DJ Droppin said:

the models are boring

But thanks to the My Pillow, no one is snoring.

[MossMan]

4 minutes ago, wxmet said:

UKMET 00z says no snow except those East of the EPSL.

Looks like only Tim will get to play with his snow removal equipment. 

[SouthHillFrosty]

Rob jinxed us with his snowman post last night.

[Omegaraptor]

SSW DESTROYS Stratospheric Polar Vortex with FACTS and LOGIC

[Jesse]

Over two inches of rain here since yesterday afternoon. It’s been pretty much continuous rain with just a few short breaks. Nice to see a system like this after going so long.

46 degrees, which is once again the low for the day.

[SouthHillFrosty]

[Gradient Keeper]

5 minutes ago, SouthHillFrosty said:

Rob jinxed us with his snowman post last night.

Very likely.

[wxmet]

1 minute ago, hawkstwelve said:

00z Euro is pretty dang close to the same track the 18z showed.

Looks like it cut back even more on totals

[Gradient Keeper]

00z ECMWF Day 1

[MossMan]

1 minute ago, hawkstwelve said:

Yup, another step back unfortunately.

Well I’m still in the blue...Barely. 

[Rubus Leucodermis]

1 minute ago, hawkstwelve said:

Yup, another step back unfortunately.

From all those pretty blues and purples to a dingy dark gray. Outlier! Discard it!

[Esquimalt]

2 minutes ago, hawkstwelve said:

Yup, another step back unfortunately.

Any ideas why Vic’s totals were cut in half compared to the 18Z? Track looks almost identical

[Gradient Keeper]

On 12/19/2020 at 4:39 PM, DJ Droppin said:

Snowman Building Contest/Event Extravaganza!

ANYONE whom lives in Western Washington that receives snow Monday MUST build a snowman and take pics/videos to which you will then share with the rest of the Forum! Yep! It doesn't matter how small nor tall it is. C'MON this will be fun and painful too for those of us down south stuck in the warm muck.

I did not realize at the time the severe implications and consequences of this post on the 19th of December just shy of 4:40 PM. If ONLY I had stopped and thought more carefully. If ONLY I considered the possibility of the Rob Jinx Factor. If ONLY I cared just a little bit more then my friends in Washington would have received white rain. If ONLY. Why couldn't I have typed it out, let it set for a bit, go take a walk to clear my mind? To really weigh the checks and balances of such a powerful suggestion, to think of the delicate nature of the situation. Why? I don't know. Perhaps I'm just a bastard. Just a D**n snow hating bastard. I apologize, but not enough to make you think I feel bad or anything. Well, no.... I do wish you had seen some snow. Better luck in January. Tim, you don't count because you live up in the mountains n stuff. BUT you better post the greatest snow pictures and videos this Forum has ever seen. Okay.

[Gradient Keeper]

Day 2

[Gradient Keeper]

Day 3

[Gradient Keeper]

Day 4

[Rubus Leucodermis]

12 minutes ago, DJ Droppin said:

I did not realize at the time the severe implications and consequences of this post on the 19th of December just shy of 4:40 PM. If ONLY I had stopped and thought more carefully. If ONLY I considered the possibility of the Rob Jinx Factor. If ONLY I cared just a little bit more then my friends in Washington would have received white rain. If ONLY. Why couldn't I have typed it out, let it set for a bit, go take a walk to clear my mind? To really weigh the checks and balances of such a powerful suggestion, to think of the delicate nature of the situation. Why? I don't know. Perhaps I'm just a bastard. Just a D**n snow hating bastard. I apologize, but not enough to make you think I feel bad or anything. Well, no.... I do wish you had seen some snow. Better luck in January. Tim, you don't count because you live up in the mountains n stuff. BUT you better post the greatest snow pictures and videos this Forum has ever seen. Okay.

You had nothing to do with it. I traded it to Weather1011 for a two-four of Molson's.

[Gradient Keeper]

Day 5 Wind storm pattern if I ever saw one

[BLI snowman]

Really nothing else to look forward to the rest of the way on the models right now, outside of the prospect of a SSW. Pretty rancid pattern.

[Gradient Keeper]

5 minutes ago, Rubus Leucodermis said:

You had nothing to do with it. I traded it to Weather1011 for a two-four of Molson's.

Wow. Someone really loves their Molson's! Even to the point of ruining snow and the chance of magical, dancing, pipe smoking snowmen.

[Rubus Leucodermis]

1 minute ago, DJ Droppin said:

Wow. Someone really loves their Molson's! Even to the point of ruining snow and the chance of magical, dancing, pipe smoking snowmen.

Winter cancel. Sorry/not-sorry.

[Gradient Keeper]

Day 6 Meh