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News / Clark County News

Weather Eye: Low-pressure trough will deliver waves of showers

By Patrick Timm, Columbian freelance columnist
Published: February 1, 2025, 6:13am

The big change in the weather pattern began Thursday, but not before we logged in another morning low in the 20s. Overcast skies all day gave way to some light rain minutes before midnight. It was not measurable, so we had accomplished 18 days straight without measurable rainfall. And let’s not forget 13 days in a row with lows in the 20s.

Turning our attention to the weekend and beyond, we see a cold trough of low pressure that is slowly sliding down the British Columbia coast. It will stall off our coastline and send waves of showers over us. With each impulse, the air aloft will continue to cool. Snow levels eventually will drop to the valley floor, mainly in the overnight hours.

However, in areas north of the Columbia River, I expect snow showers heavy enough at times to cover the ground. Then the sun will peek through, and the snow will melt. That is the plan for Monday.

There is cold arctic air to our north that I think will settle into the Columbia Basin. If this materializes, we’ll get cold east winds that will drop overnight lows back into the 20s and perhaps teens in the colder locations.

This scenario would not be ideal, as any moisture on roadways would freeze overnight. Expect possible school delays next week. It doesn’t take much snow and ice to shut the school buses down.

This is not currently a general widespread snow event, but some areas are likely to get a small accumulation. It might be one of those sticking snow events on grassy and bark dust surfaces, with not so much on streets. But if the colder air seeps down the gorge, then the picture changes.

Remember, this is a developing situation, and predicting snow amounts is always tricky. I do expect the cold to stay with us all next week. Whether we’ll have enough moisture to bring snow showers each day next week is still up in the air, so to speak. Keep abreast of the daily updates.

Sunday is, of course, Groundhog Day, and I think there will be an opportunity for our local woodchucks, squirrels or other family members to briefly see their shadow in between showers — that is, if they are bold enough to pop up from their cozy underground burrows in the chilly rain or snow.

Regardless, we have six or seven weeks of winter left — according to the calendar, anyway.

Keep warm, and be safe.

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Columbian freelance columnist