Examining the temperatures for the past two weeks at Seattle and Stampede Pass (4000 ft in the central Cascades) shows temperatures well below normal (the red line is the normal high, blue line, normal low).
To give you an idea how unusually cold it is, here is a comparison of this morning's temperature at around 5000 ft (850 hPa) at Quillayute, on the WA coast, with climatology. The dot indicates this morning's (5 AM) temperature, the black line is normal and the blue line is the record cold temperatures for each date. We did not achieve record cold, but were close.
The snow forecast of the UW WRF model from yesterday predicted snow at the upper elevations, with significant amounts over the southern Oregon Cascades. Generally a good forecast.
With cold air aloft and strong June sun, the change in temperature with height (the lapse rate) will be large today, which leads to atmospheric convection (bubbling cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds). Since the upper trough is moving into Oregon, the main shower action will be over Oregon, from Portland southward. Here is western WA, the main shower activity will be in the mountains and I expect that the UW graduation activities to be relatively dry. Tomorrow should be warmer and dry.
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Ivar's at the Airport. You may have read about intention of the Port of Seattle to drop Ivar's fish restaurant at Seattle-Tacoma Airport. A big mistake (and a very fishy one). Ivar's is not only popular and highly rated by virtually every online service (e.g., Tripadvisor) but is a local institution that is beloved by Washington residents. They are also very "pro-weather", even creating an innovative local restaurant dedicated to a major local storm (Ivar's Mukileto Landing). If any of you have any influence with the Port of Seattle, tell them to keep Ivar's at the airport. In this day, of interchangeable "bistros" and fast food, it is nice to have food services that are locally based with deep roots in our history.
Seattle Port Commissioners:
Tom Albro
Albro.T@PortSeattle.org
Stephanie Bowman
Bowman.S@PortSeattle.org
John Creighton
Creighton.J@PortSeattle.org
Fred Fellemen
Felleman@PortSeattle.org
Courtney Gregoire
Courtney.Gregoire@PortSeattle.org
There is a noticeable absence of reporting stations in north central Washington, around Mansfield. I imagine it got well below freezing in some of the frost pockets on the Waterville Plateau. Last June we had a killing frost out there that did damage even to the native plants. It will be interesting to see what happened this time when I get back out there.
ReplyDeleteAny signs as to when the persistent low in the Gulf of Alaska is going to finally dissipate/disappear/move on? It has seemingly been there forever, dropping cold and wet weather on us since late last year. We could really use a transition to some warmer weather and a more sustained break - my tomatoes too.
ReplyDeleteHave never understood the enthusiasm for Ivar's, other than Ivar himself, who was lovable, and Ivar's Fourth of July, both of which are no longer with us. The food is mediocre at best.
ReplyDeleteThis has got to be great for the upcoming Fire Season, even with much warmer and drier conditions eventually returning you'd have to think that fire suppression efforts will be much easier than in recent years.
ReplyDeleteThe weather the last couple of days has been more reminiscent of normal early June weather, in my opinion, Cliff.
ReplyDeleteI remember taking swimming lessons at Juanita Beach in 1964 in early June. One kid in my class just stood in Lake Washington next to the dock shivering; his skin color was actually blue. Lake Washington back then was sort of green. Good times.
Wrote to each Port Commissioner. Heard Ivar's CEO on the Dori Monson show explain the point system used to choose a start up, Lucky Louie's, who no one ever heard of before, over Ivar's. I smell a rat....maybe a Port Commissioner with investment money in the start up? Doesn't make sense to choose some company without a proven track record when Ivar's is well known and loved by most people and exemplifies the other fine food served at our airport.
ReplyDeleteGiving Ivar's the boot is a total fiasco. Worst case scenario they replace it with an airport Legal Seafood.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to send a link to the WSU extension website. People are having way too hard a time with tomato growing.
ReplyDeleteI worked a summer at Ivar's fish bar back in 1986. The cod was flash frozen at sea, thawed out the night before and 90% of it served the next day. It was breaded in the morning by folks like myself, I don't know how you can get a higher quality fried fish. The slaw was made fresh. The oysters were likewise very fresh, not frozen and breaded the same day.
ReplyDeleteI have lesser things to say about the chowder. Some of the ingredients were preprocessed, but we put it all together each morning onsite.
This is the only restaurant I use at SeaTac and I fly about twice a month.