December 23, 2014

MOUNTAIN W WEATHER FORECAST

0630 Tuesday:  

The Snapshot: Wind and rain today, snow starts tonight and continues through the weekend.   Fun fact of the day:  The highest tides of the year will occur this week in the Northern hemisphere. 

 The Science:  This morning’s coast radar has picked up the leading edge of an approaching front just passing the Olympic Mountain range.  Light snow/rain will begin to fall at Stevens in a few hours and then all rain once the front moves east of Puget Sound.  A strong cold front will follow this evening changing the rain back to snow. With some luck, we should start out tomorrow with 4-6” of snow and receive a few more during the day.  Snow showers continue into Thursday under cool unstable NW flow.   

4-7day Long Range: Intermittent snow showers can be expected to continue through the weekend as a high-pressure dome centered well off of the Cali/Oregon coast delivers cool unstable weather to the PNW.  Although no major dumps are expected, a few inches of snow a day for the next 7+ days will add up nicely.  


Precipitation ending at 4am:

Today’s 24hr Water =1   Snow = 4-6”

Tomorrow’s 24hr Water= .5  Snow = 3-5” 

Trend and Timing:
Rain is expected to change to snow after sunset.  Snow switches to intermittent showers tomorrow and continues into Christmas day. 


24hr temperature ending at 4am tomorrow: 
Low: 26   High: 40
Freezing level: 6500’  3000’

Trends and Timing:
Freezing levels will rise to 6500’ today and then fall back down below 4000’ tonight.  After today, temperatures are expected to stay below freezing for the remainder of the week. Finally.  

 
24hr Winds (mph) ending at 4am tomorrow:
Base: 0-5 E shifting W 
Ridge Top: 5-10  SW  

Trend and Timing:
Weak east flow at the surface will give way to warmer SW flow today.  Gusty ridge top winds can be anticipated with the arrival of the front.  Winds shift NW tonight.


JM


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