Pacific Storms Invade West

[CaptinCrunch]

Pacific Storms Invade West
6AM PST, November 24, 2003


A series of Pacific storms are bringing no rest to weary residents of the Pacific Northwest who have weathered an onslaught of heavy rain and mountain snow over the last month. This series of storms is not likely to
produce very heavy rain or snow at any one time but will instead will be noted for its persistence, with precipitation affecting much of Washington, Oregon and Idaho each day this week and eventually spreading into parts of northern California and Idaho.

Ahead of the storm, southwesterly winds were blowing down the slopes of
the northern Rockies and the Wasatch. A WeatherBug live sensor in Clearfield in northern Utah recorded a 64 mph gust early Monday morning, while a National Weather Service sensor in Livingston in western Montana had a 56 mph gust. Wind advisories were in effect for parts
of southern Wyoming and south-central Montana.

One storm has moved inland from British Columbia into Alberta in
Canada. This was bringing drier and slightly cooler air into the Pacific
Northwest early Monday, causing precipitation to become less
widespread and snow levels to lower. Snow advisories were up for the west slopes of the Washington and Oregon Cascades through midday Monday, where snowfall was tapering off this morning leaving total accumulations of up to 6 inches. Snow levels ranged from 1500 feet in Washington to 3000 feet in southern Oregon.

Heavy snow warnings are in effect through midday Monday for eastern
Washington and northern Idaho and through Monday evening for portions of western Montana. The snow will be slower to taper off as you head further east. Snow levels will rise slightly on Tuesday as another system
approaches British Columbia and brings mild air from the Pacific on
southwest winds. Winter storm watches are in effect for all of the areas mentioned above for late Monday night and Tuesday as this next storm approaches, with accumulations of up to 2 feet possible. These storms will move into the northern Plains by early Tuesday and late Wednesday respectively, bringing scattered light snow and reinforcing surges of cold and wind.

Meanwhile, even milder air is expected to arrive in the west by late in the week as the most powerful storm in the series develops off the coast of the Pacific Northwest allowing a ridge of high pressure to build ahead of it.

[JCT777]

Thanks for the update, Chris.

[weatherlover427]

It's looking like we might get some rain on Saturday, which is not good since someone from my old work is getting married that day.