Today is my last column of the year as we welcome a new year at midnight tonight. Number one in a long series of storms moved through Wednesday with blustery winds and occasional downpours.
The last day of December will dry out before storm two arrives on New Year’s Day. It may dump more rain and mountain snow than its predecessor. Number three knocks on our door Saturday and Sunday for even more rain and gusty winds. A couple feet of snow is on tap for the higher ski areas from this one.
Next week we continue the succession of winter storms, with cooler air arriving. Heavy snows will fall at times as low as 2,000 to 3,000 feet in the Washington Cascades. As Wednesday’s weather system moved inland it met cold air over Central and Eastern Washington and 5 to 10 inches of snow fell between cities along the Cascade slopes and the Idaho border. A winter wonderland.
This is so typical of a La Nina winter weather pattern. It seems the weather action doesn’t arrive until close to the new year and beyond. Right on schedule I’d say. We know winter has arrived when Chinook Pass is closed for the season.
