Success! Slightly Warmer Ahead

Whew! What a long 30 hours…but there’s nothing like hitting a forecast right on. But let’s move on…one can only gloat so long. Onshore flow has kicked in this evening, which seems to have raised snow levels. Our sensor at 1900′ on our TV tower shows 35 degrees, which would put the snow level slightly over 2,000′. I expect it to lower a bit by morning, but stay above 1,500′. Saturday may touch 1000′ in the morning, but I think our chance for snow down here is just about gone. Something new on the weather maps this afternoon and evening grabs my attention. As a ridge of high pressure builds in Monday and Tuesday, a shot of cold air shoots south through Idaho (and by default Eastern WA & OR). When that happens, the cold/dry air pools in the Columbia Basin and of course strong high pressure would shoot that chilly air through the Gorge. So I think it boils down to a few days of gusty east winds that are much cooler than what we saw for a week before Thanksgiving. So instead of lots of sun and 52 next Tue-Wed, looks more like highs in the low-mid 40’s and lows real chilly, way down into the 20’s or even 17-20 in the usual cold spots (Hillsboro, Orchards, Battle Ground, Scappoose).

Who Said What Last Night?

As mentioned before…we tried (at Wayne’s suggestion) something I’ve never seen done in Portland.  We made the storm forecast a "one stop shopping" experience.  We compared all the forecasts on Portland television last night, including video from each station’s weathercast. 

Here is what everyone was saying at 10-11pm:

NWS (your tax dollars, official forecast):
2-6" snowstorm 10am-10pm (strange timing)

KGW (Zaffino):
2-6" snowstorm…High of 35! (same as NWS)

KOIN (Baskin):
Likely not much…maybe a dusting or so. Lots of snow in air

KATU (Hill):
Probably no snow…worst case scenario 1-3"…lots of snow in air.

KPTV (Nelsen)
No sticking below 1000′, lots of snow in air

Phil Volker (Meteorological consultant to city and ex-KOIN Wxman):
Good snowburst 4-5am, then all rain…some flooding?

Lots of you seemed to like this from the comments and feedback we are getting.   We may have to give out grades tonight eh?

6am Thursday 12/1 Warning Cancelled!

I wake up to a cancelled Winter Storm Warning today.  The National Weather Service has decided it’s not a good day for a snowstorm today.  I’ll be on the radio (KXL) off/on this morning from home.  It’s snowing here, but I live at 1000′ at the west end of the Gorge.  But it’s 34 degrees here…which means temperatures hover near 40 in town…WAY too warm for a snowstorm.  As of now I still feel we’ll see lots of "snow in the air" today, but just little or no sticking below 1000′.  Sorry kiddies!

6am Thursday 12/1 Warning Cancelled!

I wake up to a cancelled Winter Storm Warning today.  The National Weather Service has decided it’s not a good day for a snowstorm today.  I’ll be on the radio (KXL) off/on this morning from home.  It’s snowing here, but I live at 1000′ at the west end of the Gorge.  But it’s 34 degrees here…which means temperatures hover near 40 in town…WAY too warm for a snowstorm.  As of now I still feel we’ll see lots of "snow in the air" today, but just little or no sticking below 1000′.  Sorry kiddies!