Monday, August 30, 2010

This Weeks Forecast - 8/30/10

So, five years ago I was dealing with the mother of all storms, Hurricane Katrina! A lot has changed in five years, at least for me. Today I am talking about a pacific front that is moving through the area that is actually producing some measurable rain for a change. One the front has passed the area we will still have a chance of lingering showers though that chance diminishes this evening. Another system will approach the area later tonight into tomorrow giving us about a 40% chance of showers until a ridge builds in later Wednesday giving us decent weather for Thursday and Friday. As for the weekend, a trough off the coast will push the clouds and cooler marine air in…again! So, cool and rainy today, cool with intermittent showers tomorrow, warmer Wednesday with a few lingering showers possible, nice Thursday and Friday, then same old weather for the weekend.

GM

Friday, August 27, 2010

TGIF Forecast

An upper level trough has set up near the area, again, and will push in that cooler marine air through the start of next week. This will also allow weak disturbances to rotate across the area which gives us a chance of drizzle or even showers at various times each day through Monday. Starting Tuesday, a weak ridge should improve conditions, giving us more sun and warmer temperatures through at least the middle of next week.

GM

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Cooler temps, more clouds, and precip

Hot and dry today, at least in the valley. As for us, mild but increasing clouds as the onshore flow returns thanks to an approaching weaker cold front to the northwest. It looks like we will see cloudy conditions with patchy fog and a chance of drizzle developing tonight into tomorrow morning. After we add daytime heating to the mix tomorrow afternoon, we will start to see some breaks but it could also trigger a shower or two. Once the front pushes through we will still have an upper level trough off the coast that hangs around for some time so starting Friday we have a slight chance of showers daily, thanks to weak disturbances that rotate through at various times each day all weekend and into the start of next week.

GM

Monday, August 23, 2010

Warm start to the week!

Summer returns for the beginning of the week thanks to high pressure building over the area today and remaining through midweek. This will also provide us with some breezy northeast winds later today and tomorrow along with sunny days and clear nights. We can expect temperatures in the low 70s today and in the low to mid 80s for tomorrow then Wednesday the offshore flow weakens as another upper level trough sets up and pushes the clouds and cooler marine air in. With the thickening marine clouds and weak disturbances rotating through we can look for some drizzle Wednesday night into Thursday morning then another disturbance gives us a threat of showers Friday night into the weekend.

GM

Friday, August 20, 2010

Chilly Start

It is chilly this morning, the early clearing skies allowed the temperatures to drop into the mid 40s, down to the dew point which has caused some dense fog in spots so put your headlights on, please! A weaker ridge of high pressure rest over the area today into tomorrow then a trough will drop down into the area and drag a weak front through later Saturday into Sunday giving us a slight chance of showers. Starting Monday a stronger ridge sets up and we will see warmer (lower 70s) and dryer weather through Tuesday. The long range models suggest we will return to our cooler (mid 60s) and cloudier onshore flow after that thanks to another trough moving into the area.

GM

Thursday, August 19, 2010

More fog and drizzle, oh, I already said that!

A strong marine push again today has thickened the clouds and produced some drizzle this morning. The clouds have dropped down to the ground in some areas…we call that fog, so use those headlights and watch for the patchy fog while driving. We might see a brief break here and there again this afternoon and the winds will start up again from the northwest 5-10 gusting to 20. After today an upper level trough sets up off the coast, again, which means more nighttime and morning clouds followed by partial afternoon clearing. The trough appears to move in later Saturday which gives us a slight chance of a shower Saturday night into Sunday. As for next week, the long range models show a ridge building in which would suggest less clouds and warmer temperatures. I’ve got my fingers crossed.

GM

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

More fog and drizzle.

Another drizzly start today with the high pressure ridge over the area beginning to weaken and move off to the east as a couple weak systems start to push at it from the west. This means more fog and drizzle again tonight into tomorrow morning as the marine layer gets a push from the increased onshore flow that is developing. Thursday more clouds and fog by morning though we will be between systems then same old forecast for Friday, cool with clouds that break some in the afternoon. As for the weekend, continued cool with a slight chance of some light showers as weak trough sags into the area from the northwest. The long range models show improving again next week.

GM

Monday, August 16, 2010

Monday, August 16th, 2010

The weather along the coast was pretty good this weekend, especially for the Tillamook County Fair which I learned was rated as one of the top ten fairs in the U.S. by USA Today. Anyway, the same can’t be said for other nearby areas, several record highs were set or tied yesterday, Eugene was 101, beating the 100 record set in 2008 and Astoria tied their record of 90, set in 1942. As for us, today should be a repeat of yesterday with the clouds burning off leaving mostly sunny skies this afternoon with highs here in town near 72, cooler at the coast and back in the 90s past Lee Camp and into Portland. More clouds and fog again tonight then tomorrow the high pressure weakens as a weak system approaches the area so - not as warm with an increased marine influence. Increasing clouds and cooler marine air overnight means a chance of drizzle by Wednesday morning along with less sun in the afternoon. Thursday we get a short break as we would be between systems then starting Friday, the proverbial trough returns, along with the clouds, cooler temperatures, and a slight chance of showers, for the weekend.

The longer range models suggest we will see some more periods of nice (warmer) weather through the end of this month and the beginning of next month so don’t put the sunscreen away just yet! Summer has not left the building!

GM

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Gordon says "Fair" - Fair Weather!

Warmer today, sort of hot tomorrow, thanks to an offshore flow developing, courtesy of a large high pressure area building over the Northwest Pacific today into the weekend. The marine clouds should break up early today leaving us with a pleasant, relatively cloud free afternoon. While we will have light northwest winds today, they will become northeast tonight so tomorrow, without our natural air conditioning, temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 80s under clear skies, and the same again on Saturday, with the valley reaching into the mid to upper 90s. Sunday the offshore flow weakens ahead of a low pressure system drifting towards the coast and by the beginning of next week, an onshore flow returns to push in the marine layer which beings in the cooler and cloudier conditions.

GM

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Fair Week Forecast!

Okay, the “Official” Fair Week forecast – NO RAIN, clearing skies and warmer!

Today we have an upper level low drifting south, to our east, with the ever present upper level trough in the area also. This combination means we have about a 20% chance of a light shower along the north coast area today. The low will push to the east later tomorrow along with the trough, then, high pressure starts to build in so - some sun breaks tomorrow, even more Thursday, and starting Friday, bring your sunscreen to the fair during the day as there will be plenty of sun along with warmer temperatures with an OFFshore flow, infact, the temperature is forecasted to reach into the low 80s Friday, the upper 70s Saturday, then start cooling down by Sunday as the offshore flow weakens. Back to a cooler onshore flow by the start of next week as another upper level low approaches the area…again. If you are NOT going to the fair, but driving over to the valley instead, the valley temperatures could reach into the mid 90s by the weekend.

Enjoy!

GM

Monday, August 9, 2010

Monday and Fair Week's Weather

I bet you would have never guess, but, an upper level trough is causing the marine layer to thicken this morning, and, an upper level low is expected to drift down near the area this evening and meander around close enough to effect our weather nearly all week. Exactly where this low drifts will drive the amount of rain we may or may not see. With no steering currents, its exact path is hard to say. Regardless of the exact path, it keeps us in an onshore flow which equates to cool temperatures, cloudy nights and mostly to partly cloudy and breezy afternoons. The good news, the weekend’s long-range models are suggesting high pressure building over the area starting Friday which means improving weather in store, mostly sunny days and partly cloudy nights with daytime temperatures in the upper 60s.

GM

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Wednesday's Forecast

An upper low over Washington and the persistent weak upper level trough off the coast means we are getting little relief from the onshore flow that has kept us cloudy with little sun. It appears neither will be rushing out of the area anytime soon so the forecast is an easy one. Cloudy, drizzly mornings and maybe a few sun peeks in the afternoons through the end of the week. To spice things up just a little, the models are still showing a weak cold front moving south across the area this weekend which gives us a chance of light rain or drizzle, outside the usual early morning hours. It also means the high, which had been running in the mid 60s, will be around 61 on Sunday. As for next week….take a guess…if you said night and morning clouds with partly sunny afternoons, you guessed correctly, and win a gold cloud!