By Gordon McCraw, Meteorologist for the Tillamook County Pioneer
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Well, after a string of dry days we start to see the disturbances, and their associated precipitation, returning. We saw the increasing clouds today, dropping down from the north with the first in a series of systems that will bring some mainly light rain in the early morning hours. Tonight, look for light winds, the low will drop to near 41.
The rain will transition over to scattered showers around noon tomorrow, winds becoming northwesterly 5-10, highs near 49. A 50/50 chance of showers still tomorrow night, light westerly winds, the low down near 40. We also start to see the snow level lowering, dropping to near 2500’ overnight on Friday.
Saturday a much colder system will drop down into the area, increasing the showers, winds westerly 4-8, highs near 46, but the system will be pulling in colder air aloft so the snow level drops to around 2000’. Saturday night things get a little more interesting as we see a better chance of showers before midnight, along with falling temperatures, so the snow level will be falling to around 600’. Depending on the timing, we could see low level snow or a rain/snow mix if the temperatures fall low enough before the shower activity diminishes. The early morning lows will drop to near 28 but with the breezy conditions, the wind-chill will be in the teens.
With high pressure building over the area, giving us some cold easterly winds, Sunday looks dry, sunny, and breezy, and on the chilly side with the afternoon high only reaching around 38 but remember that windchill says it will feel like the 20s. With clear skies Sunday night, add some radiational cooling and the lows drop down close to 22.
Another sunny day Monday, the high only near 40, mostly clear skies again Monday night, the lows again down near 26.
It looks like we will see another disturbance dropping down Tuesday so we see the clouds returning during the day, the high near 44, then we have a slight chance of rain, or maybe some snow showers, depending on the temperatures when the moisture falls, the low dropping to around 32.
Wednesday gives us a better chance of showers but again, we could see low level snow showers or a mix, depending on the temperatures that morning but the temperatures and the snow levels will be climbing under the partly sunny skies. The afternoon highs up near 47, the snow level up to around 1400’ by the afternoon.
Things should continue to warm up some after that with the snow level climbing to around 2500’.
Looking at the Hwy 6 summit weather during the period suggests it will start seeing a mix during the day Saturday, then with the low dropping to near 19, I would expect to see all snow by around sunset Saturday with the showers diminishing around midnight. Ice would be a concern Sunday and Monday as the highs only reach the upper 20s with the lows still in the teens. Snow likely to return with the moisture Tuesday night into Wednesday morning of next week until things warm up once again.