May 14, 2026

Snow in the Mountains and Wet

The rapid transition to cool, wet conditions occurred yesterday, with temperatures in Seattle declining from 80F on Tuesday to 58F in Wednesday.   Major cooling.

Cool and wet enough so that substantial snow fell above 5000 ft (see Paradise and Crystal Mountain cam imagery below).



During the past 48 hrs, there have been large amounts of precipitation in the Cascades, with one location near the Spada Lake reservoir getting almost 4 inches!  Lots of precipitation to moisten the crops in eastern Washington.


The cool/wet weather is not over.  A very potent front is now approaching our coast (see current satellite image below).  Cold/unstable air is behind it (area with clouds and openings on the left side of the image).


Below is the forecast precipitation total through Sunday morning.  

Substantial amounts (1-4 inches) on the western side of the Cascades and near the crest.  Substantial amounts on the SW side of the Olympics.

Temperatures will be low enough that substantial snowfall will occur above 5000 ft (see below).


This precipitation is very well timed and will push up river levels on the eastern side of the Cascades, which have been lagging due to below-normal snowpack (see below for the Yakima River)

The fact that the Yakima Reservoirs are now full and will remain full for the next several weeks bodes well for the water supply this summer. 


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7 comments:

  1. Max RommelMay 14, 2026 at 3:05 PM

    Great job Cliff. Not only do I think that you're a great forecaster, I believe you have the power to actually change the weather.

    ReplyDelete
  2. IDC9May 15, 2026 at 4:59 AM

    The recent rainfall has been a welcome change from the extended dry streak we had in late April and Early May. However, it has brought slugs out in force, and that has been most unwelcome for gardeners. I hope the slugs will retreat when the next dry streak begins.

    Also, thanks for the update on the Yakima River and reservoir. I'm happy to hear that the water supply situation over there remains positive.

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  3. AnselMay 15, 2026 at 10:17 AM

    Yuck. I wish it were warm rain. Quite a shock after the nice taste of summer.

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  4. CascadeMay 15, 2026 at 11:11 AM

    Given the NRCS data on snowpack here in Washington, this blip of moisture is not adding much to the drought conditions we are going to see on the east side of the Cascades. The series of 3 reservoirs for the Yak have been bumped, a little, by this moisture - but in reality it's pencil dust in the big calculation picture. The Yakima Basin is at 13% of normal (whatever that is these days with climate change) snowpack.

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  5. mickelMay 15, 2026 at 12:36 PM

    Hi Cliff. Is that figure showing discharge on Yakima near Parker correct? It seems surprising we will be around 10% of historic mean values in around ten days. That, and the fact I cannot see the plot of historic max makes me curious.

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  6. Estoy_ListoMay 15, 2026 at 8:32 PM

    If only there was some way to hold on to all that water! Maybe build a big bucket or dig a hole or something.

    ReplyDelete
  7. clive boultonMay 16, 2026 at 1:17 AM

    I raked grass seed into well-trodden patches of the lawn that over winter had turned into a muddy quagmire. I do hope all the rain doesn't wash all the seed away.

    ReplyDelete

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