By Gordon McCraw, Meteorologist for the Tillamook County Pioneer
Welcome to March everyone. It looks like we are stuck in the rain mode for several more days as there is that trough of low pressure dominating the weather pattern for us that continues to push showers up across the area from the southwest. Today the activity is aided by a disturbance riding across the area in the southerly flow, then we see more showers rotating around a low up off the northern coast of Vancouver Island. I guess we can call this an active period. With the cold air in place, and more getting pushed in by the flow, we see snow showers across the Coast Range that are impacting the Hwy 6 and 26 summits. In the early morning hours when the temperatures are down in the mid to low 30s, the snow level continues to fall to around 500-900’ with accumulating snow expected above around 1000’. The snow levels are expected to climb some with daytime heating but will again lower when the sun goes down. The colder air getting pushed in is also somewhat unstable so there is that slight chance of thunderstorms. We did see a few across the region yesterday, mainly between the coast and the Coast Range. As far as the rain goes, this morning I see amounts of a half to a little over an inch across the area in the last 24 hours. Finally, we continue to have a Winter Storm Warning for the Coast Range in effect through 7am tomorrow morning for the chance of heavy snow above 1000’ that could bring another 3-8” near the summits, and 6-12” above around 2000’.
Now for that forecast, as mentioned, this evening and tonight we can expect continued shower activity with a slight chance of thunderstorms, the winds southerly 8-12 gusting to 20, the overnight low drops to near 35, the snow level down around 800’ except briefly falling in the heaver showers.
Little changes for tomorrow, we see rainshowers with some low snow or a mix possible through the early morning hours in the heavier showers, still that chance of a thunderstorm or two, accumulating snow likely above around 800’-1000’. The winds southerly 5-10 gusting to 18 that do ease some in the nighttime hours, highs tomorrow near 45, lows near 34.
On Sunday, we see rainshowers with that morning mix possible until daytime heating kicks in, still a slight chance of thunderstorms, the winds remain southerly 5-10, the snow level does lift to near 1400’ in the afternoon, highs near 45, the nighttime hours repeat the pattern of showers, low snow possible, and the slight chance of thunderstorms, it does look like we could be a little cooler with the overnight low dropping to near 33.
As for next week, it appears Monday the usual rainshowers, possibly the low snow mix to start, still a slight chance of thunderstorms that go away that evening, the afternoon snow levels 1000-1500’, highs near 45, lows near 33.
Tuesday on through at least Thursday appears to be mostly cloudy with scattered showers possible, high warming a little each day until reaching near 50 degrees by midweek, lows continue in the mid 30s.
Some of the models hint at a ridge of high pressure building in later next week, fingers crossed!
