Weather reports on whatever I decide to report on.
Warm temperatures in the Inland Northwest this week have accelerated snowmelt. Broadly speaking, the snowpack in the Columbia River watershed remains healthy though it has dropped rapidly relative to climatological norms the last few days. Rapid melt periods are common during Spring and early Summer and the rate is likely to decrease into the weekend […]
Mostly clear skies through the morning hours with temperatures starting in the upper 40s in the Tri-Cities area. Upper level low pressure remains in place, centered near San Francisco. This is forecast to continue spinning moisture into the Inland Northwest today and tomorrow. The moisture from the San Francisco low will likely generate a few […]
Tri-Cities weather – May 2, 2023 A strong upper level low pressure system centered near San Francisco this morning is driving the weather pattern over the Pacific Northwest today. In the Columbia Basin, this is likely to produce intermittent clouds and sun along a fairly narrow band. Previously, temperatures were forecast to reach into the […]
Toward the end of the Last Glacial Maximum, catastrophic flooding surged down parts of the Columbia River watershed as natural dams creating large lakes failed. Some originated from Glacial Lake Missoula, which was created by a large dam of ice in Montana and Idaho that periodically failed. These, often termed Missoula Floods are probably the […]
A low pressure system slowly moving offshore is forecast to spin moisture into the Columbia Basin Sunday as it meanders closer to the Southern Oregon Coast. This has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a winter weather advisory for the Tri-Cities, Walla Walla, Hermiston, and surrounding areas in effect from 04:00 to 22:00 Sunday. […]
Colder temperatures are swinging into the Pacific Northwest out of British Columbia and Alberta with a brisk north to northeasterly breeze forecast on Tuesday. Those winds die down early Wednesday morning and despite mostly sunny skies temperatures aren’t likely to hit 40° that afternoon. Again under mostly clear skies, temperatures are forecast to get quite […]
Mostly dry weather (with a few isolated showers) comes to an end on Friday as an atmospheric river takes aim at the Pacific Northwest. This is likely to bring the first wind storm of the season to much of the region, including the Columbia Basin, Palouse, and Spokane area culminating during the afternoon hours. Current […]
Rain showers diminish Tuesday afternoon and evening, though a few isolated showers are possible during the day Wednesday. After that, skies are forecast to clear over the Columbia Basin allowing for temperatures to get below freezing in most lowland areas. This has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a freeze warning for everywhere in […]
Coming in the middle of fall, Halloween has historically been a mixed bag for the Columbia Basin. Most weather conditions (except extreme heat) are possible this time of year – my dad even remembers a bit of snow one Halloween growing up in Finley. For Halloween 2022, trick or treaters and their parental entourage should […]
Spring of 2022 was notoriously wet across the Pacific Northwest, but an abrupt pattern change in June left the region unusually dry through the rest of the summer and into the first half of fall. Some rain did fall during this time in the Tri-Cities, but from June 13 to October 20, only 0.39 inches […]