It is the transition that Northwest residents both expect and regret: the intrusion of low-level stratus clouds into western Washington and Oregon.
Usually occurring in late May, this year the transition came a bit early, with cloudy skies the rule today and yesterday over the western lowlands.
Below is the visible satellite image this morning. The low clouds are stopped by the higher Cascades, and the Olympics are an island that extends above the clouds.
As an aside, the heavily irrigated eastern Washington is a sea of green.
The Seattle Panocam was well into the murk this morning (see below), and at my home in north Seattle, there was drizzle from the low clouds.
Yesterday was similar, and the high temperatures at many locations were below normal....the short heat wave is over!
As normal during our late spring June Gloom periods, the entire eastern Pacific is full of low clouds (the visible satellite image this morning is shown below)
Low-level high-pressure offshore pushes cool marine air into the westerm lowlands. High pressure aloft creates upper-level sinking, which warms the air aloft. This warm air creates the inversion that prevents the cool marine air from mixing with the dry air aloft.
We get stuck in this pattern for days or weeks this time of the year. A good time for meteorologists to go on vacation.
Any insight as to why southeastern Vancouver Island often skips these marine invasions and stays clear?
ReplyDeleteThe warmth and dryness that Cliff is showing in the upper levels above the inversion has been present over the higher elevations of especially the Okanogan where the humidity at sites like First Butte and Aeneas have not risen above 50% in the day or night for the past week, and run frequently in the 20 to 30% range during the days. This has resulted in rather low fine fuel moisture readings for this early in the season, and along with the lack of a snow cover is leading to early season dryness in the forest fuels and higher than normal fire danger.
ReplyDeleteI have always hated June Gloom. In most of the rest of the country, June is one of the finest months of the year. I actually would not mind it so much if it generated convection and the warm rain that June can bring elsewhere. Instead we have to put up with this dry muck. But Cliff, don't wish for it. Some years we almost get off Scott-free. Do they get June Gloom in Leavenworth? Maybe I should retire there.
ReplyDeleteCliff I don't want to be a pest but I may retire in the next couple years... Is there somewhere in Washington (near the mountains and not in the central desert) where I could move that is mostly free of June Gloom?
ReplyDeleteThe immediate eastern side of the Cascades? San Juan islands?
DeleteThe non-forest and non-irrigated parts of Eastern WA are starting to dry and the blooms of wild flowers are fading. The latest satellite images show a stippled pattern of green and brown. With cases of measles in the news, I can't help but see my long-ago self and sister.
ReplyDelete