January 2015 Observations for the Pacific Northwest

[MossMan]

Yeah... then nothing, save for a nice against the grain brief event down here late in the month. Regardless of how some people think we're currently getting "fooked in the a$$" a few years from now people will be able to put some perspective on it and realize we had three (at least) decent cold snaps. We can do a lot worse.

Very true! I remember winters where we didn't even get below 26 degrees with zero snow and lots of drizzle. Currently this winter I have had 2.5" of snow that was on the ground for a week, and a low of 10 degrees with many teen readings since the first part of November. And we still have all of Febuary and half of March to possibly receive some more good stuff!

[HighlandExperience]

It was just over a week ago you telling us how everything is falling into place now and how negative we were all being and how this forum sucked all of your energy.     Remember the 'evidence is mounting!!' post.    There was a manic run of excited posts by you... interspersed with scolding other people for not matching your giddiness.      You don't remember that?   

 

Whatever this is. It doesn't even feel like winter.

 

Feels like we have been in a perpetual Fall/Early Spring with a few backdoor cold waves pawned off as "arctic air"

[luvssnow_spokane]

Very true! I remember winters where we didn't even get below 26 degrees with zero snow and lots of drizzle. Currently this winter I have had 2.5" of snow that was on the ground for a week, and a low of 10 degrees with many teen readings since the first part of November. And we still have all of Febuary and half of March to possibly receive some more good stuff!

Lowering standards always helps us feel better. That being said this winter is pretty gaud awful. Maybe not the worse but honestly, if we are being honest, It is not that great. *in my and many others humble opinions*

[AlTahoe]

Very true! I remember winters where we didn't even get below 26 degrees with zero snow and lots of drizzle. Currently this winter I have had 2.5" of snow that was on the ground for a week, and a low of 10 degrees with many teen readings since the first part of November. And we still have all of Febuary and half of March to possibly receive some more good stuff!

You have had the same amount of snow this season as I have had at my house in South Lake Tahoe! That's right I have recorded 2.5" of snow this winter. I have been rounding up to 3" to make me feel better. I have also not had a low as cold as 10 degrees yet this season. This winter is off the charts bad.My snow departure from last winter and this winter is about -160" right now and growing everyday. 

[MossMan]

You have had the same amount of snow this season as I have had at my house in South Lake Tahoe! That's right I have recorded 2.5" of snow this winter. I have been rounding up to 3" to make me feel better. I have also not had a low as cold as 10 degrees yet this season. This winter is off the charts bad.My snow departure from last winter and this winter is about -160" right now and growing everyday.

 

Wow! I didn't realize it was that bad down there as well, well perhaps this winter will follow last year where places really got caught up in their snowfall in February.

[luvssnow_spokane]

You have had the same amount of snow this season as I have had at my house in South Lake Tahoe! That's right I have recorded 2.5" of snow this winter. I have been rounding up to 3" to make me feel better. I have also not had a low as cold as 10 degrees yet this season. This winter is off the charts bad.My snow departure from last winter and this winter is about -160" right now and growing everyday. 

Oh, come on... It is not that bad!  It has gotten cold and only statistics matter -- not snow or anything else. Geesh! *sarcasim*  

[MossMan]

Oh, come on... It is not that bad! It has gotten cold and only statistics matter -- not snow or anything else. Geesh! *sarcasim*

Febuary will be epic!

[AlTahoe]

Wow! I didn't realize it was that bad down there as well, well perhaps this winter will follow last year where places really got caught up in their snowfall in February.

Man I hope so. last Feb we received about 6" of rain here at the lake but at least the ski resorts received a lot of Sierra cement. We have not had a classic cold front from the Northwest since Dec 23rd 2012!

All the storms last year were inside sliders or tropical messes from the Southwest. Our only snow this winter was from a retrograding low that started in Nevada and ended up in Southern California. The big tropical storm in December stayed west of the Sierra crest and missed us. It has been very weird the last two years. 

[Abbotsford_wx]

December 2009 was a solidly cold month up here. I also had snow on the ground for over a week that month, even though I only received about 3".

 

If we don't see anymore snow this winter, this will be the third winter of the last six that I've received less than 4" of snow. The other three winters were near or below average for snowfall. Mind you, that's after the three consecutive above normal snowfall winters in 2006-2008/09.

[antipex]

I've seen cherry trees starting to bloom, azaleas ready to open up, and lots of green flower stems poking up from the soil.

 

Perhaps we'll have some good thunderstorms this spring? 

[ShawniganLake]

December 2009 was a solidly cold month up here. I also had snow on the ground for over a week that month, even though I only received about 3".

 

If we don't see anymore snow this winter, this will be the third winter of the last six that I've received less than 4" of snow. The other three winters were near or below average for snowfall. Mind you, that's after the three consecutive above normal snowfall winters in 2006-2008/09.

I was thinking the same thing about December 2009.  Only 5" of snow here but the -3.3F departure is pretty respectable.

[ShawniganLake]

A little ridging would be nice from time to time.

 

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/ecmwf/2015011512/ecmwf_z500a_namer_10.png

[Deweydog]

December PDO of +2.51. Highest December reading yet; 2002's in second place at +2.1.

Just a bit more positivity for your life about last month's reading. It's actually the highest winter reading in the last 114 years by quite a margin.

 

Unbelievable how everything can be lined up perfectly yet we still get farked in the oos!

[HighlandExperience]

Just a bit more positivity for your life about last month's reading. It's actually the highest winter reading in the last 114 years by quite a margin.

 

Unbelievable how everything can be lined up perfectly yet we still get farked in the oos!

 

Waiting for the climate change articles declaring the end of snow in NYT, Huffingtonpost, Slate, and WSJ.

[luvssnow_spokane]

When will winter start?

[luvssnow_spokane]

Hey has anyone seen todays 12z GFS ?  OMG!!!   --- It is an epic pile of dog s**t!  This place is gonna stink for a while until someone can clean up this mess. Dewey?

[ShawniganLake]

When will winter start?

It might have already happened......as in "its over."..............maybe

[Jesse]

Sleeting in Carson currently.

[liquidsnow]

When will winter start?

 

Never.

 

You have two choices....Go East....

 

Or open every closet or chest door you have and hope you find a portal.

[Deweydog]

When will winter start?

It started on December 21st, silly guy goose!

 

edit: Oh, I get it! That's a pretty good spoof!

[antipex]

Never.

 

You have two choices....Go East....

 

Or open every closet or chest door you have and hope you find a portal.

 

Would you really trade the drippy dark Northwest to live in an icy wonderland under the White Witch? 

[Deweydog]

Sleeting in Carson currently.

We actually had a teency bit here earlier this morning.

 

Coast to coast!

[Timmy]

We actually had a teency bit here earlier this morning.

 

Coast to coast!

None up here surprisingly but plenty of patchy black ice  the last 3 mornings on the way down the hill.  which I have quickly realized is probably the worst thing to drive on, since I end up driving like I am on a solid sheet of ice because I don't know when I will hit a patch.   

 

Phil nailed this month though, just as I was starting to doubt.

[Timmy]

Im calling for coast to coast warmth this August FWIW.

[MossMan]

I sure hope we have a repeat of last summer!

[luvssnow_spokane]

Would you really trade the drippy dark Northwest to live in an icy wonderland under the White Witch?

YES!!!!!!!!

[Front Ranger]

Worst winter since 2012-13 here. Although regionally, both that and 2009-10 were a bit better than this one. 2002-03 was the last one that's worse on a regional level.

 

There's still Feb/Mar before we can really do comparisons. 

[Front Ranger]

Im calling for coast to coast warmth this August FWIW.

 

Warm summers lead to cold winters...right??

[Front Ranger]

YES!!!!!!!!

 

The talking animals would be tough to deal with, though. Since I really like eating animals.

[BLI snowman]

There's still Feb/Mar before we can really do comparisons. 

 

I'm posting that while operating under the assumption that we won't see anything else the rest of the way. Which we won't. 

[HighlandExperience]

I'm posting that while operating under the assumption that we won't see anything else the rest of the way. Which we won't. 

 

The good news is that it is snowing pretty heavy at all the passes in Washington right now.

 

Other than that I totally understand your sour mood. Hard to feel hopeful  when every oppurtunity for now recently has ended up with nothing.

[Front Ranger]

I'm posting that while operating under the assumption that we won't see anything else the rest of the way. Which we won't. 

 

Nobody will see anything over the next 2 months? I know things look bad now, and the +PDO is off the charts, but things can change in a hurry. I wouldn't write off the rest of the winter yet.

 

On the other hand, maybe Mother Nature just wants everyone to give up on the rest of the winter, so she can then pull a big surprise...to make up for all the hype for January that led to nothing. Reverse psychology FTW.

[Deweydog]

I'm posting that while operating under the assumption that we won't see anything else the rest of the way. Which we won't.

What are your thoughts on February 5th?

[Front Ranger]

The good news is that it is snowing pretty heavy at all the passes in Washington right now.

 

Should get a lot of snow overnight. Above 4,000' could see another good dose Sunday.

[richard mann]

-
No direct link, but check this general path to some decent fuller Northwest Doppler. — 6km Mosaic. 
 
http://weather.cod.edu/satrad/ 
 
—>  Column right:  "National Radar Loop",  Sector Map:  "Northwest", Product Menu:  "48" images.

 

Additional Doppler products closer in, under 1km and 2km "Products", column left. 

[snow_wizard]

A little ridging would be nice from time to time.

 

 

Looks like a huge inversion setting up for next week.  I actually had my first freezing fog of the season the last couple of days.  Just amazing how many nights with relatively clear skies have failed to drop to freezing this winter.

[BLI snowman]

Nobody will see anything over the next 2 months? I know things look bad now, and the +PDO is off the charts, but things can change in a hurry. I wouldn't write off the rest of the winter yet.

 

On the other hand, maybe Mother Nature just wants everyone to give up on the rest of the winter, so she can then pull a big surprise...to make up for all the hype for January that led to nothing. Reverse psychology FTW.

 

As we've been over, there's a lot of things going against us seeing anything meaningful the rest of the way. We had a couple of windows of opportunity and it didn't quite work out. Happens. I wouldn't get too torn up about it.

[BLI snowman]

What are your thoughts on February 5th?

 

Cloudy with a chance of post-superbowl celebratory champagne showers!

[Front Ranger]

As we've been over, there's a lot of things going against us seeing anything meaningful the rest of the way. We had a couple of windows of opportunity and it didn't quite work out. Happens. I wouldn't get too torn up about it.

 

Weak Nino and a good February last winter? I don't see either as a particularly strong reason for no lowland snow the rest of the way.

 

Yeah, the odds would seem stacked against anything good, but a lot of people thought the odds were stacked for a good January. Might be one of those winters where nothing goes according to plan. 

 

Crazier has happened. The Portland Trail Blazers won a championship once. 

[Front Ranger]

Definitely la-la land, but the latest GFS ensembles are again pointing to Aleutian ridging emerging days 10-15. It's the strongest signal for the pattern at that time...everything else is pretty muddled.