By Gordon McCraw, Meteorologist for the Tillamook County Pioneer
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Well, the temperatures were in the upper 20s this morning thanks to the high pressure ridge that is moving across providing the relatively clear skies leading to radiational cooling. We saw some high clouds moving in this evening which are in indicator that we have another frontal system on the way. Still, we had a mostly sunny day, but with the approaching front, tonight we see increasing cloudiness with light southeasterly winds, then after midnight we get an increasing chance of rain with rain likely a few hours after midnight, the lows only dropping to near 41. This spells good news for the Coast Range as the snow level will be lifting to around 2000’ tonight with the initial warm frontal influence.
Tomorrow the cold front pushes in more rain with breezy southerly winds 10-15 gusting to 25, the high near 44; the snow level that had lifted to near 3000’ now begins to fall back down to near 2000’ tomorrow afternoon. The front pushes thru and we transition to scattered showers tomorrow night, winds now westerly 14-18 gusting to 25, lows near 35, the snow level down near 1500’ so the Coast Range will see some snow again all the way down to the summit of Hwy 6 & 26.
The scattered showers persist thru Friday, wind southwesterly 8-12, the high near 45. Friday evening we see the rain moving back in, associated with a low pressure area dropping down from the Gulf of Alaska that persists thru Friday night, the snow level continues to slowly fall, down near 1000’ in the early morning hours with the low temperatures near 34.
Saturday, we continue to be influenced by the low pressure area that is drifting southward along the coast west of Canada and Washington, so rainy Saturday, still breezy, the snow level lifts to near 1500’ during the day, the high near 45. More rain Saturday night, as the snow level starts to fall again to near 1000’, but with the temperatures falling to around 30 that night, low snow is possible in the early morning hours once again.
Sunday the low will be sitting off the Oregon Coast bringing us more rain, or maybe snow to start the morning with the snow level lifting to 500’ that morning, on its way to 1000’ in the afternoon, highs near 45. Then, more rain Sunday night with the snow level falling again, and with the temperatures dropping to near 30 again, more low snow is possible in the early morning hours.
It appears the low will drift south a little by Monday but with the morning temperatures, more morning rain and/or snow is possible thru midmorning, then all rain by late morning, the snow level back up to near 1500’ in the afternoon, highs near 46, but with little changing, the lows drop to near 30 again which means another chance of low snow in the early morning hours for Tuesday.
And how much snow is on the ground compared to “normal” for the state. Here is your answer…
