Positive or Negative?

As March continues to click by, we are longingly searching for signs of Spring.  Is there positive or negative news on the weather horizon?  Our ☕️is ready.  Yours?

The “short” Weekend.  Showery pattern today, the 10th, will slowly diminish heading into Sat, because the current Low offshore will move to the NE, allowing clearing with improving conditions.  It will remain cool.  A secondary Low will form west of CA, keeping the Golden State quite wet.  For our Sunday, expect warmer temps and the start of another VERY WET couple of days.  Models target moderate-to-heavy rainfall for the PNW, along with a rising freezing level, which will increase the concern for rapid low-level snow melt & associated creek/stream/river flows.  Keep alert for Nat’ Wx Service announcements.  Again, regional temperatures will warm up a few degrees.  ‘Short' weekend because we lose the hour.

Next week, Mar 13-17.  As noted above, Mon & early Tue will be wet.  The damp pattern will shift south into CA (again!) late Tue, opening the door for a couple of days of DRY weather for the PNW on Wed the Ides of March and Thu.  Temps will be a tad cool; fog possible in the usual places.  St. Patrick’s Day - Fri - continues to trend wet, as another storm moves onshore.  Could be breezy, too.  

Weekend Mar 18,19.  Actually, the weather may not be too bad this weekend.  Partly cloudy, chance for a shower or two, but not a wash-out.  Temps seasonal.

Spring Equinox week, Mar 20-24.  Unfortunately, the first day of Spring, Mon, will see a return to a CHILLY WET pattern around the PNW, one that could last several days.  Drat.  The main focus of the upper-level winds will be shifting to CA, leaving the PNW on the cold side of the ‘jet’, with cold air pooled, yet again, over the Gulf of Alaska, setting up a series of cold fronts, with snow levels down below the passes around the PNW.  For our Agricultural Patrons, working the land and getting the soil ‘warm’ enough for plantings will be put off another week.  Double Drat.  On/off rain, showers and mountain snow all week and on into the last weekend of March. 

A note on California.  The amount of snow fall in the Sierra’s has been phenomenal!  Rainfall, too.  (Do a web search for images & details, if interested.)  The cold & wet “La Niña” winter of 2023 is news-worthy for the entire west coast.