By Gordon McCraw, Meteorologist for the Tillamook County Pioneer
Thursday, March 30, 2023
We have weak disturbances riding the mainly westerly flow over our area that is bringing a chance of showers this evening, but there is also a front coming that will affect the region tomorrow. We can expect another disturbance to give us increased shower activity tonight with the westerly winds becoming more southerly 4-8 later tonight.
Tomorrow a warm front begins to impact the area with rain and increasing winds that will initially push the snow level higher as its associated rain lifts northeastward. Winds will be easterly to start then swing around, becoming southwesterly 10-15mph gusting to 25 in the afternoon, the high near 48, the snow level up near 2600’. Tomorrow night things continue to ramp up the associated cold front bringing more rain with winds southwesterly 14-18 gusting to 30, gusts to 45 possible at the beaches, the low near 37, the snow level drops to near 2300’. Total rainfall for tomorrow looks to be around 1 to 2”.
Saturday the front pushes through in the morning then we transition to showers and with the unstable, colder air aloft, thunderstorms are also possible. Winds will be westerly 14-18 gusting to 25, the high near 48, the snow level near 1900’. More showers with possible thunderstorms Saturday night, still breezy, lows near 35, the snow level drops to near 1600’ after midnight which means the Hwy 6/26 summit may see some snow, especially in heavier showers.
Sunday, we see a trough of low pressure near the area that will give us more rain, the high near 46, the snow level continues to drop to near 1500’, then down to near 1100’ that night but with the early morning temperature dropping to near 32, the rain could change over to low level snow with accumulating snow likely above around 500’. The top of the passes could yet again see another 2-5” of snow Sunday!
The start of next week we are stuck in a moist northwesterly flow so we can expect scattered showers Monday and Tuesday with highs near 49 so the snow level lifts to near 1700’ by the afternoon, lows near 33 so the snow level drops back down to near 1100’ after midnight. This equals more snow across the passes.
Wednesday the flow becomes more southerly so we warm up a little, still a chance of showers, the snow level lifts to near 1800’ that morning and continues to climb to 2400 in the afternoon with the high up near 52.
Again, anyone thinking of going across the Cascades this weekend, like the Santiam Pass, may want to reconsider as they are looking at another couple of FEET of snow through the weekend, from Friday through Sunday, significantly impacting your travel.
More information about “March”
First, March is the equivalent of September in the Southern Hemisphere.
Next, March is derived from “Martius”, which was the first month in the Roman 10-month calendar. The Romans named it in honor of Mars, the Roman god of war, and Martius was considered the start of the warfare season. Now it is just the month that marks the end of the winter season.
The daffodil is the birth flower of March and the Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. Also in March we have the vernal equinox, or the beginning of spring, and we lose an hour of sleep as we “spring forward” with Daylight Savings Time.
Other important March events:
March 8th – International Woman’s Day
March 12th – Daylight Savings Time
March 15 – Beware the Ides of March
March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day
March 20 – Spring
March 22 – Ramadan
and….
March 29-31 – Borrowing Days. According to lore, the last three days of March have the reputation for being stormy. It would appear that this is correct with my forecast!
Classic saying – “March comes in like a Lion, goes out like a lamb.” That doesn’t seem to be the case this year …