Sitting here, sipping coffee, eating "Puckerbrush" plum jam on a piece of my sourdough toast this chilly morning, I started my planning to head to the boat. I have been making a list and checking it twice as to what I need/want to think about accomplishing this winter. Preparation for spring sailing, being out on the water early in 2021.
Then I get a message from my friend about his long range weather forecast for the first half of JANUARY 2021...
Perhaps I should be planning to go skiing.
Then I get a message from my friend about his long range weather forecast for the first half of JANUARY 2021...
Monday December 28
Enjoy the rain break that Nature will present to the PNW over the next 40 hrs or so, because it will turn quite stormy soon. Morning beverage & wx time.
Today & Tue will be the driest days out of the next several (although, CA is getting some precip today & Tue). The next series of storms will begin impacting the PNW starting overnight Tue. Plenty of rain, wind and FEET of mountain snow will be bundled together and gifted the PNW between now and the middle of January. Say what?
Variations in the timing of individual storm arrival is about the only difference among model solutions, so we’ll point out a couple key features on the charts. Other than a slight pause in the action this Thu, and again around Jan 10, the systems will be packed close together. While it will be on/off windy throughout the next couple of weeks, A POWERFUL storm is possible overnight Sat Jan 2. Plenty of rain before & after that particular front passes, with wind gusts likely to cause power issues in many locations from the coast to areas inland. It will turn windy all the way into ID as the first weekend of 2021 weekend progresses. Colder air will back-fill behind the front, as rain/showers continue in the PNW and extend into CA next week - Jan 4-8. Another windy storm may arrive late next week (Thu or Fri, Jan 7,8). On/off rain, wind, mountain snow is charting for the week of Jan 11-15.
Snow snow snow in the mountains and even at lower elevation foothills around the PNW early in Jan. Furthermore, snow showers at the surface are also possible west side, at times, following the cold fronts, esp the farther north one is located in the PNW.
Repetitive info, yes, but that’s exactly what model scenarios present for the PNW. Between Wed Dec 30 and the middle of next week, rainfall could total 3-4” in western valleys, more in the coast range, and several feet of snow in the Cascades. The period following that could also bring on inches of rain & feet of snow in the mountains. Obviously, we’ll all have to wait and see if these model projections verify. Note: we are in a rather strong La Nina pattern this winter; consequently, the computer models may be picking up on that attribute.
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” -Mother Teresa
-Rufus
Perhaps I should be planning to go skiing.