WeatherSystems

Finally!  Drum roll please . . . . Vancouver dipped to 32 degrees officially at Pearson Field this morning before the fog set in. It is the first official freeze in Vancouver this year after 40 some days. Amazing in itself for the dead of winter. I had 30.8 degrees at 6 am with many Clark County areas into the 20's.

January was one of the warmest on record in many areas and February was off and running down the same path. I don't see this as a trend however as more clouds and showers are heading our way for later in the week with heaviest amounts to our north.

Have a great day.   -Pat

February is running over six degrees above average for the first six days of the month and still no freezing temperatures here in 2010. Looks on the dry side until late next week when computer forecast models try to oust El Nino. Don't bet on it.

Let's review some rainfall reports from your friends and neighbors around the region for January. Gary Collins, Brush Prairie, 7.68 inches; Murphy Dennis, near Clark County Rifles, 9.38 inches; Claudia Chiasson, Carson, 9.54 inches; Tyler Mode, Minnehaha, 6.05 inches; Judy Darke, Felida, 6.10 inches; Larry Lebsack, NE Hazel Dell, 7.10 inches; Irv St. Germain, SW Prune Hill, 7.95 inches; Bud Maddux, Home Valley,6.50 inches; Pete Conrad, Tukes Mountain, Battle Ground, 6.38 inches; Bob Starr, Cougar, 16.49 inches; Robin Ruzek, Lakeshore, 6.15 inches; Dan Hein, Camas, 8.64 inches; Phil Delany, above Dole Valley, 11.80 inches; Tom Dixon, Amboy,8.21 inches; Phil Harris, Washougal,10.39 inches; Bill Sobolewski, Livingston Mountain, 9.37 inches; Jim Knoll, Five Corners, 7.53 inches; Nancy Ellifrit, Mt. Vista, 7.59 inches; and Ellen Smart, Ridgefield, 7.70 inches.
 
Climate authority makes mistake, really? You'll have to read this one. Click HERE

From AMS Steve Pierce: Here is a quick " Portland Decadal Snowfall" update, just posted on the Oregon AMS website. Provided Portland gets no additional snowfall in the coming month or so, it looks like Portland can officially close the books on the highest decadal snowfall total in 30 years, albeit very small.

Next Oregon Chapter AMS meeting is Thursday, Feb. 18th, at Hillsboro Fire Station #3 (see web site),  7 pm, "Fire Weather Forecasting in Australia – February 2009."  Come learn about Australia's horrific fire weather season.

Man, I can't believe it is February already, time flies. Same old weather everyday it seems with a strong El Nino overhead. A few strikes of lightning and a clasp of thunder Wednesday evening added a little excitement. And about a half inch of rain in a very short time. That brought the total for Wednesday over 3/4 inch.
It appears that we may go into a much drier pattern beginning this weekend. That will make the grass grow like crazy. Since we should have some clearing we may get the first frost since last year, maybe that is  because clouds will be streaming through as well. Another two weeks and we will be past the serious threat of lowland snow at least any big snowstorms.

I thought the groundhog would not see his shadow but he did. I missed that one clouds rolled in later in the day with rain so we will see how accurate the marmot will be with the "six more weeks of winter weather."

Finally got my web cam set up at the beach house, that was an experience to say the least. Only took four hours to get it on the web considering it should have been a two hour job. At least I can see if it is raining there now. Might add a  couple more to catch the wildlife. BTW, my beach house is at Ocean Shores, Wa about 16 miles west of Aberdeen near the north jetty of Grays Harbor.

Local rainfall amounts for January coming soon so stay tuned.

Not much new in the weather department mid-week other than we had a little sunshine Wednesday which was very pleasant before more clouds rolled in. Still haven't had an official freeze yet in Vancouver this month. Appears some clouds, some showers and some sun through the last day of January. Groundhog Day prediction: NO SHADOWS! So no worry, spring arrives early this year. "There will be six more weeks of winter" I have no idea why they say that when the poor critter is awakened so early in the morning and sees his shadow. Spring is six weeks or better away anyway you look at it. All for fun I guess.

Well now, after nearly 14 years we find out that there has been a higher wind gust that that measured atop MT. Washington in New Hampshire. The grueling spot in the continental  US. They held the wind speed record since 1934 of 234 mph. Seems like records were.  revealed that a wind gust of 253 mph wind gust measured on Barrow Island, Australia. For all the details read the latest on the Weather Underground Blog HERE.

Get ready for another fun and informative AMS meeting this Saturday in Portland! We are hoping to pack the place out yet again. Great pizza, great beverages, great AMS meeting! All public / all ages are welcome! We have experienced a few good weather events since we last met in mid November, so there will be a lot to chat about.  
When: THIS SATURDAY, JANUARY 23rd  2-4pm!
Where: STARK STREET PIZZA - 9234 SE Stark Street 
Topic: How to interpret weather charts and model soundings   This will be a great opportunity for beginning/amateur weather enthusiasts to learn about how to interpret weather charts and model soundings (good for potential snow events)!   Check for other updates at the Oregon AMS website: http://www.ametsoc.org/chapters/oregon/index.html

I have received many inquiries to the very low barometer reading today. Normally a reading below 29 inches would be rather alarming and could signal a windstorm or something very serious. Indeed there is a large low off the coast, but it is off the entire West Coast from California to British Columbia. So, there is not a large or rapid pressure change occurring. That is what we need for a wind storm, low pressure followed by rapidly rising pressure. The current low will rotate a little further north and then spin back westward out to sea.

Meanwhile record setting low readings in some locales. Medford Oregon registered 28.88 inches Wednesday breaking the old record low pressure of 28.93 inches on December 12, 1995.

I recorded 28.89 inches on my Vantage Pro2 weather station as well as my fancy wall barometer (LOL). On many of the old aneroid barometers they had weather phrases printed ion them and this time around it would be in the "stormy" category.

Station Elev MAX GUST HURRICANE Ridge 5200 ft 112 Mt. Hebo HEBOWX 3160 ft 86 Cape Mear MEARES 1421 ft 83 Garibaldi 0 ft 82 Garibaldi 75 ft 79 Lincoln C LINCON 187 ft 79 Rockaway ROCKWY 450 ft 73 Yaquina Bridge W 120 ft 72 Yaquina Bridge W 120 ft 72 Cape Disappointm 140 ft 72 Crystal Mtn-top 6870 ft 71 Hurricane Ridge 5151 ft 71 Pacific PACCTY-2 28 ft 69 Clatsop Spit 30 ft 66 Astoria 0 ft 62 Forest Gro N7NKE 200 ft 61 Port Townsend 0 ft 61 Astoria Regional 10 ft 60 Newport Municipa 161 ft 60 Hoquiam, Bowerma 13 ft 60 Road's E W7KKE-3 89 ft 59 Point Wilson 0 ft 58 Whidbey Island,  46 ft 58 Cape Foul NEWPRT 1024 ft 57 Everett, Snohomi 604 ft 56 Olympia Airport 203 ft 55 Sandy Pt. CW1394 10 ft 54 Kalama CW4910 404 ft 53 Kelso-Longview A 20 ft 52 South Beach 0 ft 52 Mount Baker-Pano 5000 ft 52 Newport DW1265 164 ft 51 Arlington Munici 138 ft 51 Lopez Vil CW6225 98 ft 51 Smith Island 50 ft 51 I-205 at Divisio 270 ft 50 Astoria AA7OA 240 ft 49 Longview 0 ft 49 McMinnville Muni 157 ft 49 Tillamook Airpor 36 ft 49 Tillamook WX7EM 26 ft 49 Long Beac CW9086 7 ft 49 Port Town CW8576 190 ft 49 Salem CW9266 410 ft 48 NERRS MET SITE A 5 ft 48 Quillayute State 194 ft 48 West Point 10 ft 48 Hillsboro DW3664 220 ft 47 Portland DW3557 750 ft 47 CEDAR 2220 ft 46 Portland Interna 26 ft 46 ROCKHOUSE 1 1797 ft 46 Warrenton W7LEO 39 ft 46 Cherry Point 0 ft 46 Fort Lewis / Gra 302 ft 46 Longview CW9604 896 ft 45 Newport WA7ZVY-4 128 ft 45 Aberdeen KD7FBT 285 ft 45 Buoy 46088 0 ft 45 Friday Harbor Ai 108 ft 45 HUMPTULLIPS 2400 ft 44 Ocean Par KD7PYN 26 ft 44 Aurora State Air 194 ft 43 Portland-Hillsbo 203 ft 43 White Pass-top 5909 ft 43 Bellingham Inter 157 ft 43 Boston Ha CW9783 16 ft 43 COUGAR MOUNTAIN 2400 ft 43 Camano Is DW3855 70 ft 43 Seattle CW8717 11 ft 43 Tacoma / McChord 322 ft 43 NOISY GLACIER 6591 ft 42 CANYON CREEK 2500 ft 41 Glen Jackson Bri 180 ft 41 Kalama CW4577 840 ft 41 Scappoose Indust 52 ft 41 Tigard DW2050 449 ft 41 Vancouver DW0710 300 ft 41 Chehalis-Central 177 ft 41 I-5 @ Nisqually 40 ft 41 Coldwater Ridge- 3199 ft 40 Cornelius CW9369 171 ft 40 Interstate Bridg 100 ft 40 MILLER 1031 ft 40 TILLAMOOK 11 ft 40

Status of Proposed Weather Radar
for the
Washington Coast
(Updated December 21, 2009)
Background: On May 28, 2009 Senator Maria Cantwell announced Congress had
appropriated $2 Million for use to start a project for a new weather radar along the
Washington coast. On December 17, 2009 the President signed an FY2010 budget
bill with an additional $7 Million to buy the radar, prepare the land, and install the
radar. The radar will be a high-power, high-resolution long-range Doppler radar with
Dual Polarization.
Recent Activities (October -- November 2009):
- A National Weather Service (NWS) contractor completed an initial survey of
potential radar sites in Western Washington on 28 July
- NWS, in conjunction with the University of Washington, reviewed the
contractor’s preliminary siting study for locating the radar and selected three
sites for an Expanded Site Survey and Environmental Assessment (ESS/EA)
- Submitted Acquisition Plan to Department of Commerce Western Acquisition
Division for review
Planned Short-Term Activities (December 2009 – February 2010):
- Continue federal acquisition process; complete Statement of Work
- NWS contractor completes draft Expanded Site Survey and Environmental
Assessment (ESS/EA) by end of January
- ESS/EA preliminary draft submitted to NWS for 21-day review
Planned Long-Term Activities (January 2010 – September 2012)
- 2010
o Continue lengthy federal acquisition process
o Issue Request for Proposal for new radar– dependent on Congress
appropriating the $7 Million in the President’s FY10 budget
o Award contract
- 2011
o Contractor designs and begins producing radar
- 2012
o Contractor completes production and tests the radar
o Prepare land site for radar
o Radar installed, tested, and begins operations

I can hardly wait until this becomes a reality. Some much needed coverage here on the central coast and extending down to mouth of Columbia and west slopes of Olympics. I have been by one of the top sites and it is cool, not far from Ocean Shores.

Went for  a drive today to Aberdeen over to Raymond and Grayland and back. Lots of flooding in low lying areas, rivers and creeks at bank levels. Grays Harbor has had 6-8 inches of rain since Thursday.

OK on to wind. A low pressure system will deepen Sunday and move up the Washington coast to Vancouver Island. Could be breezy in Clark County and maybe 40-50 sustained with gusts to 75 here at OS. I am ready, so far this winter I keep missing the windstorms.
High Wind WatchURGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
940 PM PST SAT JAN 16 2010

...HIGH WIND WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL AND NORTH
WASHINGTON COAST...WESTERN STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA AND THE
OLYMPICS FOR SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING...

.A STRONG PACIFIC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AND
INTENSIFY OFF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST COAST SUNDAY...TRACK NORTH
OFF THE COAST SUNDAY NIGHT AND MOVE INTO VANCOUVER ISLAND EARLY
MONDAY. THIS SYSTEM IS ANTICIPATED TO PRODUCE POTENTIALLY STRONG
DAMAGING WINDS ALONG THE WASHINGTON COAST...WESTERN STRAIT OF
JUAN DE FUCA AND IN THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS. NOW IS THE TIME TO
PREPARE FOR THE POTENTIAL OF STRONG DAMAGING WINDS IN THESE
REGIONS AND MONITOR FORECASTS AS THIS WEATHER SYSTEM DEVELOPS.

Wow, the weekend is upon us once again and several good weather events are lurking out in the Pacific. Coastal Wind storms late Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday could see winds hitting 100 mph at times. Maybe 50 or better in the western valleys depends of course on the track. Anyways, stormy with California getting copious amounts of rain and snow in the Sierras.

Hey, I got my weather station online here finally so if you ever want to see what it is like when I am down at the Beach House or any time, check it out. Ocean Shores SW.  I am about one mile north of the jetty at Grays Harbor, WA. And about two walking blocks from the beach and ocean.

Well, it is late so I should skidoo, more this weekend I'm sure.
Take care,

Pat

While the majority of the state had started on a good foot with snow pack in November, the dry December has put the snow water equivalent for most of the state below normal for this time of year. The Washington State Climate office says, "Most of the basins have snow water equivalent between 70 and 89% of normal. The Spokane Basin in the northeastern portion of the state only has 69% of normal. The Lower Yakima Basin has average snow pack, however, with 94% of normal. The Olympic Peninsula is above normal, with 127% of normal." Check out their January newsletter here.graph.

As long as we are talking rain, let's review some rainfall reports from your friends and neighbors around the region for December. Gary Collins, Brush Prairie, 6.12 inches; Murphy Dennis, near Clark County Rifles, 6.50 inches; Claudia Chiasson, Carson, 8.72 inches; Tyler Mode, Minnehaha, 4.08 inches; Judy Darke, Felida, 5.34 inches; Larry Lebsack, NE Hazel Dell, 5.54 inches; Irv St. Germain, SW Prune Hill, 6.08 inches; Bud Maddux, Home Valley,7.35 inches; Pete Conrad, Tukes Mountain, Battle Ground, 4.84 inches; Bob Starr, Cougar, 12.82 inches; Robin Ruzek, Lakeshore,5.25 inches; Dan Hein, Camas, 6.48 inches; Phil Delany, above Dole Valley, 9.3 inches; Chuck Houghten, Hockinson  Heights, 6.02 inches; Tom Dixon, Amboy, 6.50 inches; Phil Harris, Washougal, 4.60 inches; Bill Sobolewski, Livingston Mountain, 6.74 inches; Merle Moore, two miles west of Yacolt, 5.76 inches; 4.27 inches; Ken McGowen, one mile NE of the Fairgrounds, 4.79 inches; Jim Knoll, Five Corners, 5.73 inches; Nancy Ellifrit, Mt. Vista, 6.35 inches; and Ellen Smart, Ridgefield, 6.80 inches.

2009 rainfall totals varied from 27.79 inches in the Minnehaha neighborhood as reported by Tyler Mode to 102.01 inches measured by Bob Starr of near Cougar.