March 07, 2009

the convergence zone has set up

You would almost think we know what we are doing.... the Puget Sound convergence zone has set up, having pushed southward during the last few hours...and as expected we are getting wet snow at higher elevations on the eastern side of the zone.... see the image... The surface map clearly shows the convergence zone, with northerly winds in the N. Sound converging with the southerly stream.

According to the profiler, it is still too warm for snow near sea level..(see image)..but that will change later.... If you look carefully, you can see the northerly winds associated with the convergence zone for the latest sounding (far left).Looking at the latest infrared satellite picture (attached) shows the front that moved though this morning, and an enhanced band off the coast (northern Vancouver Is)...that should move in later today and will rev up the mountain showers and the convergence zone. That is when the real action should occur. You see that the clouds are whiter there...that means they are higher and more active. So get ready, the main action is yet to come...
A reminder..sign up for the NW weather workshop if you are interested (we need to know how many refreshments to get, links at upper right). And next weekend and Monday, I will give public lectures on Bainbridge and Olympia (see links). UW Press likes to keep me busy. After that I will be taking a break.

23 comments:

  1. That is the convergence zone...which has now reached there....

    ReplyDelete
  2. The radar says it is snowing where I live, on Union Hill in Redmond, but its not doing anything! Urg.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cliff,
    One of these days comment on Sedro-Woolley area. I know there are not that many people out this way, but it seems to be an odd pattern of its own. A lot of times I dont see the bitter cold "Frasier" weather that I would expect to flow down Hwy 9's corridor.

    ReplyDelete
  4. But what about in Portland? they are predicting snow tonight- half inch in the valley-
    but my question is - does the Fraser River cold air come all the way down here to NW Oregon? or do we always get our cold air drawn out of the Gorge?
    RSVP!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just some sprinkles/flurries mixed here right now with temp of 34 and dp at 32. So nothing exciting just yet.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Started snowing in Snoqualmie at 8:15am with a temp of 39.7 which quickly dropped to 34.3

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wet snow sticking to cars and grass in upper rainier beach.Temp is 34 was 39 @ 7 am.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Jerry ~ I'm in the same situation here in Eatonville. We are concidered part of the "East Puget Sound Lowlands' but we are about 60 miles south of Seattle so we are anything but East of Puget Sound! When we get the watches and warnings we never know if it will pertain to us because the focus of the forcasts centers around the main Seattle area....those of us in the surrounding areas, and in smaller communities, get left out. We also have our own little weather zone here....sometimes we will be very windy when no one else is, and we usually are the first to warm up...everyone else will have snow or freezing rain and we just get plain old rain! Wierd and frustrating!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love hearing the up to the minute reports from those in the coveted C Zone. Keep them coming! I live SE of Auburn and we only experience the zone when a more northerly flow sets up. Looks like this afternoon/tonight could get get interesting. May need to head North if it really gets cranking. Checking out the DOT cams, it looks like South Seattle East through I-90 is the sweet spot with accumulating snow at of 9:40am.

    ReplyDelete
  10. We had snow showers off and on all morning in Bellingham, but now there is bright blue sky and warm sunshine -- what's the deal with that?

    ReplyDelete
  11. Now its really snowing up on Union Hill in Redmond (600') and starting to accumulate a little. Don't stop! Please!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I hear ya, windlover... very frustrating.

    Did I mention SUN in Sedro-Woolley, right now? Oh wait its gone again.

    ReplyDelete
  13. @200' in east olympia. we've had bright blues skies and sunshine all morning, with some gusting winds. temp currently 51*. not complaining, just reporting. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. We have continuing STRONG winds coming from the west through the strait hitting Port Townsend. Started in the early morning. Bright sunny skies, though. Looks like it will be an interesting day!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Cliff, it seems like the CZ is moving more and more south. Is this suppose to continue? Or will it move back up north a little?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Port Angeles. Snowing like mad, blowing like mad, and sticking. Better go off to the library now in case the streets go slippery.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Why did it get warmer in Sammamish over the past 2 hours? Shouldn't it be getting...colder?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Snow at sea level 12:20.

    Oyster Bay NW of Olympia, WA

    wind and steady snow

    ReplyDelete
  19. the sun has returned, just like that.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hey Cliff,
    I was at Costco this morning and there was a big pile of your books there! Really nice pictures....Robert

    ReplyDelete
  21. Bright but cool in Shoreline. It snowed earlier, then stopped. Just got in from weeding the strawberry beds, wanted to do that before temps dropped.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thank you, Dr. Mass, for the work that you put into sharing your knowledge with the rest of us. It enriches my life.

    ReplyDelete

Please make sure your comments are civil. Name calling and personal attacks are not appropriate.

The Seattle Times Says Washington State is in a Serious Drought. Is this True?

It is more than a little disturbing when a major regional newspaper (the Seattle Times) provides demonstrably inaccurate and deceptive weath...