Stormy pattern takes a back seat to sunshine in the Northwest this week
By
Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Feb 15, 2020 5:30 PM EDT
Graceville, Minnesota, experienced an AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature of 52 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. The ring is formed when the sun refracts off ice crystals in a thin veil of cirrus clouds.
After wetter-than-normal conditions in the Northwest for the start of 2020, drier conditions are on the way this week.
Following stormy weather over the weekend, which will spread snow into the Rockies for the start of the new week, the waves of wet weather will cease in the Northwest.
Some snow showers lingered early in the week across the highest elevations, but even those locations will turn noticeably drier by Tuesday.
"High pressure will settle over the northern Plains by midweek, helping to deflect any wet weather across most of the western U.S.," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo.
Although there will be plenty of sunshine, a dip in the jet stream will allow cooler air from Canada to filter into much of the region.
Near-normal temperatures are expected each afternoon, with highs reaching the upper 40s to lower 50s in Seattle and the lower 40s in Boise, Idaho.
Below-freezing temperatures will hold across much of the Cascades as well as the northern Rockies.
According to NRCS, the recent storminess has brought enough snowfall across the higher elevations of the region to reach near- to above-normal levels for this time of year.
"The snow is likely to stick around in the upcoming pattern, with near-normal temperatures just cool enough to retain the snowpack for skiers and snowboarders," added LoBiondo.
The snow will also help with filling reservoirs and keeping water supplies where they need to be.
However, any drastic warmup as the seasons change could put the slopes at greater risk for avalanches into early spring.
Since the beginning of the year, wet weather has been the story across much of the northwestern U.S.
Through the first half of February, Seattle received 12.77 inches of precipitation, or about 170% of normal during that time frame.
Cities like Portland, Oregon; Spokane, Washington; and Boise, Idaho also received over 120% of their normal precipitation through Feb. 15.
Although some wet weather continued through the second week in February, it was less persistent than December and January's rain, allowing some rivers to recede back below-flood stage.
This trend is likely to continue with the forecasted dry weather helping to allow water levels on the still-swollen rivers in the area to keep falling.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Weather Forecasts
Stormy pattern takes a back seat to sunshine in the Northwest this week
By Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Feb 15, 2020 5:30 PM EDT
Graceville, Minnesota, experienced an AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature of 52 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. The ring is formed when the sun refracts off ice crystals in a thin veil of cirrus clouds.
After wetter-than-normal conditions in the Northwest for the start of 2020, drier conditions are on the way this week.
Following stormy weather over the weekend, which will spread snow into the Rockies for the start of the new week, the waves of wet weather will cease in the Northwest.
Some snow showers lingered early in the week across the highest elevations, but even those locations will turn noticeably drier by Tuesday.
"High pressure will settle over the northern Plains by midweek, helping to deflect any wet weather across most of the western U.S.," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Nicole LoBiondo.
Although there will be plenty of sunshine, a dip in the jet stream will allow cooler air from Canada to filter into much of the region.
Near-normal temperatures are expected each afternoon, with highs reaching the upper 40s to lower 50s in Seattle and the lower 40s in Boise, Idaho.
Below-freezing temperatures will hold across much of the Cascades as well as the northern Rockies.
According to NRCS, the recent storminess has brought enough snowfall across the higher elevations of the region to reach near- to above-normal levels for this time of year.
"The snow is likely to stick around in the upcoming pattern, with near-normal temperatures just cool enough to retain the snowpack for skiers and snowboarders," added LoBiondo.
The snow will also help with filling reservoirs and keeping water supplies where they need to be.
However, any drastic warmup as the seasons change could put the slopes at greater risk for avalanches into early spring.
Related:
Since the beginning of the year, wet weather has been the story across much of the northwestern U.S.
Through the first half of February, Seattle received 12.77 inches of precipitation, or about 170% of normal during that time frame.
Cities like Portland, Oregon; Spokane, Washington; and Boise, Idaho also received over 120% of their normal precipitation through Feb. 15.
Although some wet weather continued through the second week in February, it was less persistent than December and January's rain, allowing some rivers to recede back below-flood stage.
This trend is likely to continue with the forecasted dry weather helping to allow water levels on the still-swollen rivers in the area to keep falling.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo