Unsettled

Wind. Rain. Showers. Sun. Low elevation snow.  That’s the basic wx prognosis for the rest of February.  Details require a full Mug.  Set?

A STRONG east wind is setting up for both western WA & OR today & Saturday.  An impressive storm system off the coast will slowly moving onshore across the entire west coast this weekend. At the same time, high pressure to the east will build for a day or two, literally shoving air towards that Low of the coast; hence, the strong winds.  The rain field from said storm will be stretched out south-to-north, with most of the heavier rainfall is modeled to target northern CA this weekend.  The PNW will pick up some precip, esp on Sat for western OR, SW WA.  Frozen precip will remain possible the farther east once travels over mountains or “through the Gaps.”

Next week, the PNW will not be completely dry as ‘wrap-around’ moisture from the California system will work its way north.  Cool temps.  However, by the end of the week, models do build a relatively warm, dry ridge into the PNW for a decent sunny Fri & Sat, Feb 23,24.  The 2nd half of the final weekend of February will turn cooler & DAMP on Sunday, Feb 25, with a winter cold air mass beginning to work into the region from the NW.  The freezing level will drop rapidly Sunday, when that colder air moves inland.  Rain, with a rain/snow mix at the surface - mainly over the Puget Sound - is possible.  Good addition to the 2024 snowpack.  

It looks WET and quite chilly as the last few days of Leap Year February get underway.  Model runs target steady, heavy rain over Vancouver Is., southern BC and NW WA (threat for localized flooding again!).  The northern half of Oregon & Idaho will be wet, as well.  Southern OR is trending mild & dry, should the ‘jet stream’ remain positioned over WA/BC.

By March 1st, steady rain may expand into OR with another large, cold Low pressure trough over the eastern Pacific spinning off cold fronts.  Snow level below the passes.  Early March is trending quite chilly & damp.  Typical for the region.  Let’s see how this all develops on the charts next week.