Not Farm Favorable

Monday April 3

Oh dear, the long-range outlook is not looking favorable for those seeking warmth, sunshine, and the end to chilly temperatures.  Better get that hot java in hand before reading on.

Cold showers, with hail & occasional thunder remain in play through today and Tue, although the activity should diminish a bit on Tue.  Wednesday is looking a tad warmer, as a weak front begins to push onshore.  It may remain dry most of the day, with a steady rain holding off until late Thu Apr 6.   Thu will be mild in the temp department, although showers will become prevalent by nightfall.  Good Friday will be damp, but mild.

Easter Weekend.  Our much hoped for Easter ‘warm-up’ will not likely reach as high as we hoped, but it should be the warmest weekend thus far in 2023.  Saturday should be mostly dry, although do not rule out a stray shower, esp over southern OR.  Easter Sunday should warm, with temps topping out in the low-to-mid 60s depending on cloud cover from a new system moving into the region late Easter Day.  Please note that some solutions move damp weather in Easter Day.

Monday Apr 10 will start out damp, with temps beginning to track downward, yet again, as a cold front moves onshore.  Tue the 11th looks chilly with showers, some that may produce small hail.  Yep, the sign of cold air aloft for the millionth time this so called Spring.  Anyway, we could get a dry day on Wed Apr 12 and most of Thu the 13th.  More cold rain on the way for Fri Apr 14 on into ’tax weekend’.  In fact, a cold pattern similar to what we have experienced multiple times, will again return on the 14th, with the return of cold rain, showers, possible thunderstorms and low elevation snow across the PNW.  A broad cold pool of air will drop south along the PNW coast for a few days, setting up a period of moderate rain west of the Cascades and heavy rain into California again.  

In summary, over the next 2 weeks, the weather pattern is not looking ‘farm-favorable'.  We do NOT see an extended period of normal, mild spring temperatures with enough sunshine to truly dry down PNW soils for spring plantings.  Last year, Apr & May were quite chilly & damp.  As the region exits the third consecutive La Niña influenced winter, we can only hope for an extended dry pattern soon to get farm/garden work going.