December 16, 2016

Cold Temperatures and Light Snow on Sunday AM

For many locations in western WA, the coldest temperatures in a year or so are being experienced this morning.  As shown in plot (low temps the last 24h), many locations in western WA dropped into the low to mid 20sF, with teens in Whatcom County (near the exit of the Fraser River Gap) and in low spots near the western Cascade foothills.   Teens and single digits all around eastern WA, with a few negatives.


 As predicted, cold, continental air is entrenched over the Northwest (see surface forecast for 10 AM Friday of sea level pressure and low-level temperatures).  We are shielded from the coldest air (purple color) in the mid continent by the Rockies and Cascades.


The latest NOAA snow analysis shown plenty of lowland snow include Whatcom County and Vancouver BC, and from Olympia to Salem.

Today (Friday) will see high temperatures only reaching around freezing and Saturday morning will again slip into the 20s and teens.  But change is coming.    Saturday will be generally dry (perhaps a few errant flurries at most), but Sunday morning a Pacific weather system will approach.  With cold air in place, it will start as snow in many areas of western WA. Here is the predicted snow cover percentile for western WA at 10 AM Sunday...even Seattle gets some.


Snow depths are not impressive over the lowlands.


By late Sunday/early Monday the warmer Pacific air will be in place and the normal wet/mild weather we so love will return.

7 comments:

  1. How come we didn't get any snow in the convergence zone?

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  2. Been snowing this morning (Saturday) since about 8:30 a.m. here in Mukilteo. I guess we were lucky enough to get one of your "errant flurries." It is lovely!

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  3. Am I reading that right? Sunday AM. ?? Looks like snow out the window and warming temp and it's Saturday AM. 24 hours off!

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  4. Snowing near Eatonville Saturday morning. Roads are covered. We've got our dusting they said we would get today...if this keeps up we will have accumulations. Way more than just flurries out there!

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  5. In depth weather prediction from Dr. Judah Cohen at Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER). Bookmark this site:
    https://www.aer.com/science-research/climate-weather/arctic-oscillation

    ReplyDelete
  6. It started snowing 7am and ended about 2pm TODAY. Not sure why there was no warning on this snowstorm. We got a half an inch on South Whidbey. I couldn't get back home due to icy roadways.

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  7. Cliff, with all this snow, and based on your forecasts for the rest of the month, what are the chances that Dec 16 surpasses Dec 15 for snowfall?

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