Normal May Pattern

April ends this weekend.  Will our long-awaited warm wx end?  Refill that Mug.

The warmest days of the year, thus far, have arrived.  While it will cool down a bit on Sunday, this weekend should be decent, esp as compared to the past several.  A Low pressure ‘cell’ will spin off the PNW coast, working its way to bringing rain/showers to just about all of California next week.  As it draws near to the OR coast, expect a rather strong east wind in the Columbia Gorge on Sunday.  We do not see a lot of moisture making landfall over the PNW from that Low, just a cool down and some cloudiness.  The southerly flow will increase by late Sunday, as that Low drifts west of CA by Monday.  Moisture will train north on that southerly flow aloft, setting off showers & potential thunderstorms across southern OR on east.  

A new month starts a new week.  Monday the 1st of May will be mild & partly cloudy, as the Low hits CA.  Tue & Wed May 2,3 will be dry & mild, with temps treading seasonal for May.  Our next chance for showers arrives in 6 days - next Thu & Fri- as a Low approaches the coast, then turns north along the coast of BC.  No landfall, but temps will be cooler as the Low moves north.  

Models have been a bit inconsistent on solutions for the first weekend of May.  Overall though, the trend has been for a dry Saturday, then turning rather humid & damp as a new Low off CA coast spins moisture north over the PNW.  The Low will be stronger than this weekend, so expect showers over a wider area, including WA, along with a higher chance for thunderstorms - that will drift west over the Cascades to bring the potential for boomers west side on Sunday.   Cooler weather returns.

Monday the 8th brings a cold front, with wind & rain, to the entire PNW.  Tue will be on/off showers, as another system barrels in from the west for a wet Wed May 10.  A very broad trough of Low pressure will ‘fill’ the Gulf of Alaska mid-week, opening the door for a warm ridge of High pressure to reform over the west coast.  Yeah, another shot of warmer weather for the PNW starting Thu and lasting into the weekend of May 13,14.  Showers over the eastern basins of the PNW are possible late Sat evening on into Sunday.  Dry west side.

All the above can shift around a bit, however, we are entering a normal stretch of May weather, meaning a few damp days, with mild-to-warm days of sunshine spaced in between.  Temperatures will be favorable for crop development and smiles.