Crystal clear weather Wednesday with an outstanding view of the Cascades’ snow-covered peaks. Windy in the exposed areas near the river with gusts in Clark County over 40 mph. Talk about wind chill. While others farther north, say in Salmon Creek, had calmer winds and somewhat warm sunshine, but I’m sure you noticed white frost still on the ground in the shady areas.
Vancouver dipped to 26 degrees Wednesday morning while others had lows around 20 degrees farther north. Five years ago, we were having a similar weather pattern with cold east winds blowing. On Dec. 4, 2013, Vancouver had a record low of 19 degrees, breaking the old record set way back in 1919.
Sometimes we get out of the cold weather without any excitement because, No. 1, moisture off the Pacific has to make its way through some very dry air. The east winds would help keep that at bay for a while. Depends on the position of the weather system as well. Complicated, to say the least. But this air mass, although chilly, isn’t quite deep enough aloft to bring Clark County snow and ice.
The Gorge will most likely have a little snow, sleet and freezing rain late Friday night and maybe over the weekend, as warmer Pacific air erodes the cold pool in the Columbia Basin.
