Weather Eye: El Nino not following the usual pattern as wet weather persists

The weather forecast is simple and can be described in one word: wet. By wet, I mean rain is in the forecast nearly every day from now through all of next week. So much for the typical El Niño bringing us dry weather.

The new year started in that direction, and our friends in California got drenched for a short while. However, I am coming to the conclusion this is no ordinary El Niño, and the prospects for a drier-than-average January through March might be incorrect.

Of course, the jet stream could alter again and dive southward. Maybe this will be an oscillating weather pattern for the rest of winter? I don’t think anyone really knows what the weather is going to do next at this point. I might as well use my dart board.

Rainfall totals Tuesday and Wednesday were heavy in Clark County with amounts of 1 inch or more both days. The monthly rainfall total as of 4 p.m. Wednesday in Vancouver was 2.26 inches, almost catching up to the average.

Wow! What a turnaround.

The cool Coho (east) winds were still blowing down the Columbia River Gorge and most of the rain was a chilly wetness with temperatures in the 30s and low 40s. This next round of wet weather will see an end to those winds, only blowing as storms approach us. They were still blowing early Wednesday, keeping temperatures around the 40-degree mark. The afternoon hours saw the winds switching around from the south and the thermometer rose to nearly 50 degrees by 4 p.m. Balmy I would say!

Freezing levels will be up and down as each storm moves through. Up with the warm front and down with the cold front. The higher elevations will continue to pile up snow while the lower areas such as the Cascade passes will see periods of rain and snow.

Check the forecast before heading up to the mountains to play in the snow and consider a trip to the coast to watch the stormy weather. See you Sunday.

Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at http://patricktimm.com.

Related Stories