#wawx — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #wawx, aggregated by home.social.
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Overnight rain! What a relief! Now my first round of tomatoes are watered in properly.
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Well that came rolling in rather all at once, didn't it?
Hello, rain. I've missed you.
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PQR issues A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN CLACKAMASHOOD RIVEREASTERN MULTNOMAH AND SOUTHEASTERN SKAMANIA COUNTIES THROUGH 1115 PM PDT [wind: <30 MPH, hail: 0.50 IN] for Central Columbia River Gorge I-84 Corridor, Clackamas County Cascade Foothills, North Oregon Cascades, Upper Hood River Valley, West Columbia River Gorge of Oregon above 500 ft [OR] and Central Columbia River Gorge - SR 14, South Washington Cascades [WA]
https://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/p.php?pid=202605130538-KPQR-WWUS86-SPSPQR
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Reasons I haven't planted the rest of my tomatoes yet:
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okay, _that_ one shook the house. boom!
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Okay, _that_ was thunder. I heard something that might've been thunder before but I think was an airplane, but _that_ was thunder.
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hm, comin' down pretty hard out there
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@Nshrubs Yep! Showed up in Northshore about 15 minutes ago, hard enough to tip the collector and keep going.
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New article: Not all snow is created equally: Understanding snow-water equivalent in the Pacific Northwest ingallswx.com/2026/03/18/n... #weather #snow #WAwx #ORwx #BCstorm
Not all snow is created equall... -
New article: Not all snow is created equally: Understanding snow-water equivalent in the Pacific Northwest
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Not all snow is created equally: Understanding snow-water equivalent in the Pacific Northwest
If you’re a well-traveled skier, you know that not all snow is created equally. Some of it is heavy and dense while other areas experience light and fluffy snow. What matters when resource managers and meteorologists prepare for the summer is not the depth of the snow, but instead how much water this snow will become when it melts.
That’s where snow-water equivalent, or SWE, comes in. This measurement is essential for predicting whether the Pacific Northwest will have enough water to get through the dry season. When water managers in the region look ahead to summer, they’re not thinking about rainfall or reservoir levels directly. Instead, they’re focused on the mountains and how much liquid water is locked up in the snowpack.
Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation at this link to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.
Snow-water equivalent is the amount of liquid water you’d get if you melted all the snow at that location. It’s measured in inches or millimeters, and it accounts for the fact that snow is mostly air. By measuring SWE instead of snow depth alone, water managers can compare snowpack across different regions and different years on equal footing.
The relationship between snow depth and water content is called the snow-water ratio. The “average” ratio is often cited as 10 to 1, meaning ten inches of snow contains about one inch of water. However, this average masks enormous variability depending on where the snow falls and what type it is.
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In the Cascade Range of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia, maritime air masses dump heavy, wet snow that has earned the nickname Cascade Concrete. A foot of Cascade snow might contain two or even three inches of water, giving it a ratio closer to 4 to 1 or 5 to 1.
Head south to Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, and you’ll find the famous light powder that skiers dream about. That snow can have ratios of 15 to 1 or even higher, with a foot of snow containing less than an inch of water.
The snow that falls in places like Minnesota and Manitoba can be even lighter and fluffier. Those continental regions sometimes see ratios of 20 to 1 or more, where massive snowfall totals translate to surprisingly modest water content.
The differences come down to temperature and moisture. Cold, dry air produces light snow. Warmer, moister air creates denser snow that packs down and contains more water. The ratio can even vary widely from storm to storm over the course of a season.
For the Pacific Northwest, SWE measurements matter because they tell the real story of what the mountains hold. A healthy snowpack acts as a natural reservoir, continuing to feed rivers and reservoirs into early summer even after the region’s wet season has ended.
By April, when water managers make their summer forecasts, they’ve analyzed the snowpack across hundreds of mountain locations. Those measurements tell them whether next summer will bring plenty of water or whether restrictions might be necessary to keep water flowing for all users.
#BCstorm #orwx #Snow #wawx #Weather -
Mount Rainier National Park (View from Paradise on the 14th). Learn more at https://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm and #mountrainier #interpretation #nps #nationalparks #publiclands #photography #landscapephotography #winter #washington Image credit National Park Service #wawx #trees #mountain #paradise #clouds #snow #shadows
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Spent a half hour pushing 3" of very heavy, very wet snow off my car just now
Car sits centered on the ridge line of a 2-story condo, hard up against the north side, so it doesn't get any direct sunshine four months out of the year
If I don't get the snow off today while I can move it and it freezes hard overnight (32-33F degrees forecast) I'll have my car entombed in 3" of Cascade Concrete tomorrow
So...
#SeattleBlizzard2026 #SeattleSnow #WAwx #ORwx #BCwx #PNWwx #PNW #KSEA #NWS #WX #Weather #Snow
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Snoqualmie Pass WA I-90 Pass report
Elevation: 3022 ft / 921 m
Travel eastbound
Chains required on all vehicles except all wheel drive, Oversize Vehicles Prohibited.Travel westbound
Chains required on all vehicles except all wheel drive, Oversize Vehicles Prohibited.Conditions: Compact snow and ice on the roadway.
Weather: Light snow
UPDATE: Stevens Pass US Hwy 2 now open, chains required
Last updated Saturday, March 14, 2026 10:25 AM PDT
Here: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/Snoqualmie
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Stevens Pass WA US Hwy 2
Temperature: 27°F / -3°C as of 4:26 PM 03/13/2026
Elevation: 4061 ft / 1238 m
Conditions:
US 2 is currently closed at MP 55, 9 miles West of the summit and at MP 85, at Coles Corner, 14 miles West of Leavenworth, due to heavy traffic and severe winter weather.
The pass will remain closed overnight and will be reassessed in the morning. No detour is available.
Weather: Snow
And no detour *is* available: Snoqualmie Pass I90 is closed, so Eastern Washington is a trip up the Columbia River gorge out of Portland OR on I84
Here: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/stevens
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UPDATE 2:45 pm PDT
And now Stevens Pass US Hwy 2 is closed
Travel eastbound: Pass Closed
Travel westbound: Pass ClosedGotta get to Eastern Washington?
The Colombia Gorge east out of Portland OR looks like about it...
Snoqualmie Pass WA I-90
Pass report
Elevation: 3022 ft / 921 m
Travel eastbound: Pass Closed
Travel westbound: Pass Closed
Weather: Snowing hard
Conditions: Compact snow and ice on the roadway.
I-90 Snoqualmie Pass is closed both directions
Westbound is closed at milepost 106 Ellensburg, Exit 85 Cle Elum, and Exit 70 Easton.
Eastbound is closed at milepost 34, 18 miles west of the summit near North Bend. due to multiple spinouts and collisions this will be an extended closure lasting most of the day.
Here: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/stevens
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I mean, do people have lobotomies when it snows, or what?
Just saw somebody in a very late-model 2-door sporty coupe, maybe an Acura, maybe a BMW 7-series, drive out the dead end street right outside my office windows and turn right onto the road into town.
His entire right-side windows were entirely -- entirely -- covered with snow
Maybe an inch-plus on the roof
He's not going to be able to see *anything* off to the right side of him -- nothing -- no passenger-side mirror either
"I know it's snowing but I'm driving straight ahead and I know exactly where I'm going. Why would I need to see anything out to my right side?"
Good lord...
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Snow day!
Well, for me, anyway. I put in for a day off a couple of weeks ago. The snow's just a nice coincidence. 😁
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Welp…
Hot damn… it's actually *snowing* here
Puget Sound lowlands, at about 250 feet above sea level on an island surrounded by 50 degree salt water 600 feet deep off to the east toward the mainland
Doppler radar on Precip Depiction mode shows a good-sized wedge of cold blue air pointing out to the west, so it looks like it may keep snowing for a while
#WAwx #ORwx #BCwx #PNWwx #PNW #KSEA #NWS #WX #Weather #Snow #HighWinds
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Snoqualmie Pass WA I-90
Friday 03/13/2026 07:03:42 PDT
Pass report
Elevation: 3022 ft / 921 m
Travel eastbound: Chains required on all vehicles except all wheel drive, Oversize Vehicles Prohibited
The pass remains open eastbound with chains required for all vehicles except all-wheel-drive, oversize vehicles prohibited from milepost 34, 18 miles west of the summit near North Bend.
Travel westbound: Pass Closed
I-90 Snoqualmie Pass is closed westbound at milepost 70, 20 miles east of the summit near Easton, due to multiple spinouts and collisions.
Conditions: Compact snow and ice on the roadway.
Weather: Snowing hard
Last updated: Friday, March 13, 2026 6:56 AM
Stevens Pass WA US Hwy 2 is open, chains required, but snowing hard and it really doesn't *look* plowed...
Here: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/stevens
#WAwx #ORwx #BCwx #PNWwx #PNW #KSEA #NWS #WX #Weather #Snow #HighWinds
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First snow of the winter on March 13 is another indicator that this is the coldest winter of the rest of my life, isn't it?
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woah, 0°C outside
that's well below the forecast low
i mean we still won't get snow that's way too warm still for anything to stick but
surprise!
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Welp
5:30 am PDT Mar 12
"Winds, heavy rain leave thousands without power across western Washington
WASHINGTON STATE — Strong winds and steady rain moved through western Washington on Wednesday, knocking out power to tens of thousands of customers and toppling trees across the region.
Utilities reported widespread outages as gusty conditions intensified throughout the afternoon and evening."
And there ya have it...
cc @ai6yr
#WAwx #ORwx #BCwx #PNWwx #PNW #KSEA #NWS #WX #Weather #HighWinds #Snow
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Update: I90 and US2 both now open both ways. Still non-ideal conditions but passable. (3/11 @ 10PM)
Stevens Pass is closed both directions just west of Leavenworth. Sadly, this isn't reflected in the official website (which shows all clear). You have to look at the road cams or see the updates on X.
Disappointing to see such critical info only on the X place. -
Welp
Not something you see every day:
Snoqualmie Pass WA I-90 is closed, snow, eastbound at least
Elevation: 3022 ft / 921 m
Travel eastbound:
Pass ClosedTravel westbound:
Chains required on all vehicles except all wheel drive, Oversize Vehicles Prohibited.Conditions:
Snow and slush Eastbound I-90 at milepost 47, east of the Snoqualmie Pass summit and westbound at milepost 70 near Easton.The roadway is closed due to multiple spinouts and collisions.
There is no estimated time to clear the roadway.
Coming down off the Pass westbound down Franklin Falls looks like a real challenge
Weather: Snowing
Last updated:
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 2:00 PMUPDATED 3:10 pm PDT
Travel eastbound
Chains required on all vehicles except all wheel drive,Travel westbound
Pass ClosedConditions
I-90 is closed westbound at milepost 70 ... due to multiple spinouts and collisions.Weather
Snowing heavilyHere: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/Snoqualmie
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High wind warning for the Columbia Basin Wednesday and Thursday
Dynamic weather is forecast for the Pacific Northwest through Thursday with a low pressure system forecast to make landfall on Vancouver Island and continue eastward across Southern British Columbia. This low will drag a cold front along, sweeping through Washington and Oregon to bring strong winds.
These strong winds have prompted the National Weather Service to issue high wind warnings for much of Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon for Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. These warnings cover from the Columbia Gorge through the Columbia Basin up to Spokane and the Palouse.
Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation at this link to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.
For the Columbia Basin and nearby areas, southwest winds are forecast to be sustained in the 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h) range with gusts to 60 mph (95 km/h). Around Spokane and on the Palouse winds could gust to 65 mph (105 km/h).
The strongest winds will be on hilltops and outside of towns where trees and buildings do not impede air flow. Things will still be windy in town, we’re just unlikely to see the highest wind gusts in built up areas.
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A few power outages are possible and travel will be difficult on northwest-southeast highways like some parts of SR 240 across the Hanford Site.
It is common for Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon to get windy after rainfall, which we are forecast to see on Wednesday. This is because cold fronts often bring rain to the inland deserts.
Behind the cold front high pressure builds along the coast. It will try to also build into the inland areas but the Cascades block the air from moving in. It does filter through slowly, but only through gaps in the mountains like the Columbia River Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass.
Imagine an inflatable pool filled with water, and then imagine stepping on one of the sides. Water rushes out from where you’re stepping but it takes time to completely reach “equilibrium” on both sides. The gaps in the Cascades are like where we have stepped on the side of the pool. Wind that moves through these gaps is called gap flow.
This is why Boardman, Hermiston, the Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg often observe strong wind after rain while it can be hit or miss in Yakima. While Yakima is downwind of White Pass, White Pass is higher elevation than the Columbia Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass thus the gap flow is less efficient in that region.
The cold front is not just bringing strong winds to the Inland Northwest. Blizzard warnings are posted for the Western Washington Cascades along and north of US 12 (including Snoqualmie Pass) where 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) of snow are forecast with strong winds. Additional winter weather alerts have been posted for other mountainous regions in the Pacific Northwest.
Active weather continues in the region beyond the Wednesday-Thursday storm. The jet stream will continue to be parked on top of the Pacific Northwest which will keep sending in moisture and storms. We will be adding to regional snowpack but it won’t be nearly enough to make up for the deficit so far this season.
#orwx #Spokane #TriCities #wawx #Weather #wind -
High wind warning for the Columbia Basin Wednesday and Thursday
Dynamic weather is forecast for the Pacific Northwest through Thursday with a low pressure system forecast to make landfall on Vancouver Island and continue eastward across Southern British Columbia. This low will drag a cold front along, sweeping through Washington and Oregon to bring strong winds.
These strong winds have prompted the National Weather Service to issue high wind warnings for much of Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon for Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. These warnings cover from the Columbia Gorge through the Columbia Basin up to Spokane and the Palouse.
Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation at this link to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.
For the Columbia Basin and nearby areas, southwest winds are forecast to be sustained in the 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h) range with gusts to 60 mph (95 km/h). Around Spokane and on the Palouse winds could gust to 65 mph (105 km/h).
The strongest winds will be on hilltops and outside of towns where trees and buildings do not impede air flow. Things will still be windy in town, we’re just unlikely to see the highest wind gusts in built up areas.
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A few power outages are possible and travel will be difficult on northwest-southeast highways like some parts of SR 240 across the Hanford Site.
It is common for Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon to get windy after rainfall, which we are forecast to see on Wednesday. This is because cold fronts often bring rain to the inland deserts.
Behind the cold front high pressure builds along the coast. It will try to also build into the inland areas but the Cascades block the air from moving in. It does filter through slowly, but only through gaps in the mountains like the Columbia River Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass.
Imagine an inflatable pool filled with water, and then imagine stepping on one of the sides. Water rushes out from where you’re stepping but it takes time to completely reach “equilibrium” on both sides. The gaps in the Cascades are like where we have stepped on the side of the pool. Wind that moves through these gaps is called gap flow.
This is why Boardman, Hermiston, the Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg often observe strong wind after rain while it can be hit or miss in Yakima. While Yakima is downwind of White Pass, White Pass is higher elevation than the Columbia Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass thus the gap flow is less efficient in that region.
The cold front is not just bringing strong winds to the Inland Northwest. Blizzard warnings are posted for the Western Washington Cascades along and north of US 12 (including Snoqualmie Pass) where 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) of snow are forecast with strong winds. Additional winter weather alerts have been posted for other mountainous regions in the Pacific Northwest.
Active weather continues in the region beyond the Wednesday-Thursday storm. The jet stream will continue to be parked on top of the Pacific Northwest which will keep sending in moisture and storms. We will be adding to regional snowpack but it won’t be nearly enough to make up for the deficit so far this season.
#orwx #Spokane #TriCities #wawx #Weather #wind -
High wind warning for the Columbia Basin Wednesday and Thursday
Dynamic weather is forecast for the Pacific Northwest through Thursday with a low pressure system forecast to make landfall on Vancouver Island and continue eastward across Southern British Columbia. This low will drag a cold front along, sweeping through Washington and Oregon to bring strong winds.
These strong winds have prompted the National Weather Service to issue high wind warnings for much of Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon for Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. These warnings cover from the Columbia Gorge through the Columbia Basin up to Spokane and the Palouse.
Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation at this link to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.
For the Columbia Basin and nearby areas, southwest winds are forecast to be sustained in the 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h) range with gusts to 60 mph (95 km/h). Around Spokane and on the Palouse winds could gust to 65 mph (105 km/h).
The strongest winds will be on hilltops and outside of towns where trees and buildings do not impede air flow. Things will still be windy in town, we’re just unlikely to see the highest wind gusts in built up areas.
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A few power outages are possible and travel will be difficult on northwest-southeast highways like some parts of SR 240 across the Hanford Site.
It is common for Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon to get windy after rainfall, which we are forecast to see on Wednesday. This is because cold fronts often bring rain to the inland deserts.
Behind the cold front high pressure builds along the coast. It will try to also build into the inland areas but the Cascades block the air from moving in. It does filter through slowly, but only through gaps in the mountains like the Columbia River Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass.
Imagine an inflatable pool filled with water, and then imagine stepping on one of the sides. Water rushes out from where you’re stepping but it takes time to completely reach “equilibrium” on both sides. The gaps in the Cascades are like where we have stepped on the side of the pool. Wind that moves through these gaps is called gap flow.
This is why Boardman, Hermiston, the Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg often observe strong wind after rain while it can be hit or miss in Yakima. While Yakima is downwind of White Pass, White Pass is higher elevation than the Columbia Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass thus the gap flow is less efficient in that region.
The cold front is not just bringing strong winds to the Inland Northwest. Blizzard warnings are posted for the Western Washington Cascades along and north of US 12 (including Snoqualmie Pass) where 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) of snow are forecast with strong winds. Additional winter weather alerts have been posted for other mountainous regions in the Pacific Northwest.
Active weather continues in the region beyond the Wednesday-Thursday storm. The jet stream will continue to be parked on top of the Pacific Northwest which will keep sending in moisture and storms. We will be adding to regional snowpack but it won’t be nearly enough to make up for the deficit so far this season.
#orwx #Spokane #TriCities #wawx #Weather #wind -
High wind warning for the Columbia Basin Wednesday and Thursday
Dynamic weather is forecast for the Pacific Northwest through Thursday with a low pressure system forecast to make landfall on Vancouver Island and continue eastward across Southern British Columbia. This low will drag a cold front along, sweeping through Washington and Oregon to bring strong winds.
These strong winds have prompted the National Weather Service to issue high wind warnings for much of Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon for Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. These warnings cover from the Columbia Gorge through the Columbia Basin up to Spokane and the Palouse.
Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation at this link to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.
For the Columbia Basin and nearby areas, southwest winds are forecast to be sustained in the 20 to 30 mph (30 to 50 km/h) range with gusts to 60 mph (95 km/h). Around Spokane and on the Palouse winds could gust to 65 mph (105 km/h).
The strongest winds will be on hilltops and outside of towns where trees and buildings do not impede air flow. Things will still be windy in town, we’re just unlikely to see the highest wind gusts in built up areas.
Type your email…
Subscribe
A few power outages are possible and travel will be difficult on northwest-southeast highways like some parts of SR 240 across the Hanford Site.
It is common for Eastern Washington and Northeast Oregon to get windy after rainfall, which we are forecast to see on Wednesday. This is because cold fronts often bring rain to the inland deserts.
Behind the cold front high pressure builds along the coast. It will try to also build into the inland areas but the Cascades block the air from moving in. It does filter through slowly, but only through gaps in the mountains like the Columbia River Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass.
Imagine an inflatable pool filled with water, and then imagine stepping on one of the sides. Water rushes out from where you’re stepping but it takes time to completely reach “equilibrium” on both sides. The gaps in the Cascades are like where we have stepped on the side of the pool. Wind that moves through these gaps is called gap flow.
This is why Boardman, Hermiston, the Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg often observe strong wind after rain while it can be hit or miss in Yakima. While Yakima is downwind of White Pass, White Pass is higher elevation than the Columbia Gorge and Snoqualmie Pass thus the gap flow is less efficient in that region.
The cold front is not just bringing strong winds to the Inland Northwest. Blizzard warnings are posted for the Western Washington Cascades along and north of US 12 (including Snoqualmie Pass) where 2-4 feet (60-120 cm) of snow are forecast with strong winds. Additional winter weather alerts have been posted for other mountainous regions in the Pacific Northwest.
Active weather continues in the region beyond the Wednesday-Thursday storm. The jet stream will continue to be parked on top of the Pacific Northwest which will keep sending in moisture and storms. We will be adding to regional snowpack but it won’t be nearly enough to make up for the deficit so far this season.
#orwx #Spokane #TriCities #wawx #Weather #wind -
Had to take a break partway through cleaning the driveway for what I hope will not be the last time this week. It's REALLY nice to have enough snow to bothering clearing!
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Had to take a break partway through cleaning the driveway for what I hope will not be the last time this week. It's REALLY nice to have enough snow to bothering clearing!
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Had to take a break partway through cleaning the driveway for what I hope will not be the last time this week. It's REALLY nice to have enough snow to bothering clearing!
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Had to take a break partway through cleaning the driveway for what I hope will not be the last time this week. It's REALLY nice to have enough snow to bothering clearing!
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@ohmu For Seattle and Washington State weather in general the best source I have found is Pacific Northwest Weather Watch. This is a daily YouTube video by professional weather guy Michael Snyder. Very informative, easy to understand.
https://www.youtube.com/@pacificnorthwestweather/videos
#Seatte #WAwx -
A true pineapple express for the Pacific Northwest beginning Sunday
The next Pacific Northwest atmospheric river is forecast to impact the region from Sunday through Tuesday, coming in at a category 3 on the atmospheric river scale. This will be a true pineapple express event with the moisture plume originating from Hawaii.
The moisture content isn’t particularly impressive but with this event is forecast to last just short of three days. Snow levels will rise significantly and this combined with moderate rainfall will lead to widespread snowmelt in the Cascades and a possible flood risk, though the flooding won’t reach the level we saw earlier in the season.
Ingalls Weather thanks the support it gets from donors. Please consider making a small donation at this link to help me pay for the website and access to premium weather data.
The pineapple express will be driven by a mixture of low pressure in the Gulf of Alaska, high pressure off the California coast, and cold fronts stuck in the middle. Low pressure systems drag cold fronts behind them but the strength of the high pressure to our south will keep them from progressing onward.
The halted progression is what channels the atmospheric river over the Pacific Northwest for several days at a time. Right now modeling suggests the moisture plume will be aimed near Seattle with consistent rain extending to the north of Vancouver and as far south as Salem.
Moisture will be coming into the Pacific Northwest from due west and the Cascades will stop most of it from reaching into the Columbia Basin. High clouds can be expected for places like the Tri-Cities and Yakima. Temperatures will warm up but precipitation will be minimal.
The B.C. Interior and Coast Range lie to the north of the pineapple express so temperatures won’t be as warm there. That said, with the active storm track in the Gulf of Alaska there will be plenty of precipitation in that region.
Precipitation will likely fall primarily as rain in interior communities like Kamloops and Prince George but the mountains will probably still see a good amount of snowfall. The last couple of weeks have helped to clear the snow deficit in most of British Columbia.
The same can also be said of Northern Washington (including the Okanogan) but this three days of rain is going to wash all of that away. Snowpack remains below average in Washington south of Stevens Pass and critically below average in Oregon.
As noted, the flood threat is not as severe as December 2025 but some moderate flooding can be expected north of White Pass along rivers draining the Cascades, B.C. Coast Range, and Vancouver Island mountains. As of publish time, no flood alerts had been posted in Washington, Oregon, or British Columbia but I expect these will come out over the next day or two.
Beyond Tuesday the California high expands northward, sending the storm track more toward Prince Rupert and Ketchikan and keeping the bulk of the Pacific Northwest dry. More mid-elevation snowmelt can be expected during the second half of next week as temperatures remain warm.
Temperature inversions are common under strong high pressure this time of year and next week will be no different. Despite sunny and relatively warm weather in the mountains, the Columbia Basin will likely see a long-duration inversion develop with low clouds, fog, and steady temperatures in the 30s (around 2ºC).
It remains to be seen just how deep this inversion will get. Some models are hinting at it continuing into the week of the 19th and if that’s the case we’ll probably see it extend to Spokane and Kelowna.
Some inversion activity may also be noted in the Lower Mainland, Puget Sound Region, and Portland metro but this is usually slower to form because of the proximity to the ocean (rather than being completely surrounded by mountains like the Columbia Basin is).
I feel confident in saying that Medford and Eugene will be socked in with inversion clouds during this period. There is less confidence for the larger metro areas west of the Cascades.
The featured image is ECMWF modeled total precipitable water for midday Monday. (WeatherBell)
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Last year it rained and this time it's near-freezing with fog. But 2 years ago (NYE 2024) when the low coastal clouds were just high enough to let the fireworks and drone show happen, I posted this thread from New Years at the Needle in Seattle. I hope the people there have a good time. I'll watch it live but not in attendance. https://avgeek.social/@ikluft/111676168718065359 #NYE2026 #PNW #weather #WAwx #ORwx
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Last year it rained and this time it's near-freezing with fog. But 2 years ago (NYE 2024) when the low coastal clouds were just high enough to let the fireworks and drone show happen, I posted this thread from New Years at the Needle in Seattle. I hope the people there have a good time. I'll watch it live but not in attendance. https://avgeek.social/@ikluft/111676168718065359 #NYE2026 #PNW #weather #WAwx #ORwx
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Last year it rained and this time it's near-freezing with fog. But 2 years ago (NYE 2024) when the low coastal clouds were just high enough to let the fireworks and drone show happen, I posted this thread from New Years at the Needle in Seattle. I hope the people there have a good time. I'll watch it live but not in attendance. https://avgeek.social/@ikluft/111676168718065359 #NYE2026 #PNW #weather #WAwx #ORwx
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Last year it rained and this time it's near-freezing with fog. But 2 years ago (NYE 2024) when the low coastal clouds were just high enough to let the fireworks and drone show happen, I posted this thread from New Years at the Needle in Seattle. I hope the people there have a good time. I'll watch it live but not in attendance. https://avgeek.social/@ikluft/111676168718065359 #NYE2026 #PNW #weather #WAwx #ORwx
