An Extraordinary Inversion, Twinkling Lights, and the Return of Rain

This morning, an extraordinary low-level inversion (temperature increasing with height) developed over the western Washington lowlands.

For example,  at 4 AM, the temperature around SeaTac Airport rose from 41F to 56F (15F increase!!) between the surface and 1000 ft.

You could see the large temperature variations at the surface, such as in this plot of the minimum temperatures this morning, with temperatures ranging from 29 to 53F.   Just amazing.

The extreme temperature change in the inversion produced an atmospheric lens that caused lights to flicker when viewed from above.

To illustrate, there is a video taken from above the inversion by Peter Benda, who lives at high elevation in the hills above Bellevue.

The inversion was associated with a transient area of high pressure, which now moved to the east.

In its wake, precipitation has FINALLY moved in, as noted by the latest radar image:

Weather forecast models are predicting one rain event after another during the next few days, with the heaviest amounts in southwest British Columbia and northwest Washington (see totals through Friday afternoon below).

You will need to find your umbrella😊

Cold Temperatures Hit Western Washington

Well below-normal minimum temperatures were evident across the state this morning.

Most of Washington was below freezing, with teens and single digits over eastern Washington and twenties and a few teens over western Washington.  

Below are the sub-20 locations in western Washington.   Hard freeze.  

What always impresses me in these situations is the local contrasts.  This morning's lows ranged from 35F near the water to 18F at Carnation.  Being away from the water makes a huge difference, and cold air (and often fog) drains into the Snoquamie Valley.  

The cold air that reached us is only a small taste of the amazingly cold air that has descended into the central and eastern U.S.

Consider the forecast temperatures for 7AM PST this morning (below), with purple and blue indicating the coldest.

The Rockies are our key line of protection, with an enormous temperature contrast across the southern Rockies.

As cold as this morning was across western Washington, no records were being made.  To illustrate, here are the temperatures in Ollymc this month (blue bars), with the average range in brown and the cold records in blue.   We have been below normal, but not even in the vicinity of daily records.

An irony of the cold is that renewable energy, and particularly wind energy, has gone to nearly zero in our area, just as we need it for heating--something that is quite typical.   

Consider the latest BPA statistics below.  Renewables (mainly wind) are nearly flatlined around zero.  Our limited nuclear power (purple) is steady and significant.   Thankfully, we have a lot of hydropower.

You can see why I am a strong supporter of nuclear power (fission) and the development of fusion power.