Rod's Weather Headlines

I am writing this letter as the coast reports 100 mph winds.  It reminds me that people often say - wow, your job is so easy, all you have to say is rain and more rain.  Actually, this time of year on a daily basis, forecasters study wind threats at the coast, snow levels in the Cascades and recentl...

This is your head's up, that a large area of Pacific moisture will bring heavy rain, strong winds and heavy snow to our area late Tuesday - Wednesday. Below are the Headlines I am tracking: 1.  High Winds At The Coast:  Peak gusts starting early Wednesday may reach 100 mph.  Gusty winds, over 50 mp...

Here is what I have learned, from west wind snow events, since my Portland arrival in 1999. The following should be expected Saturday overnight - Early Tuesday.  After that, the snow levels will sharply rise. 1.  Areas below 500 feet:  A mix of rain and snow with temperatures near and above freezi...

A Reminder, My Snow Level Forecast Is Posted on The Ski Forecast Page.  Check Daily For Updates. Air behind Saturday's cold front will drop the snow level to 1,500' by Saturday evening, near 300 feet @ times Sunday & Monday. The snow level will rise to 2,000' Tuesday afternoon. A westerly flow Sat...

Now that we have passed the half-way point through December, it is time to look at what could be the driest December in the record books, dating back to 1871!  As of Dec. 16th, PDX has received .06" of rainfall.  The December average is 5.71" and typically the wettest month of the year.  Current for...

Winter Solstice 2011 Winter officially begins on Wednesday, December 21 at 9:30 p.m. in the Pacific Time Zone. At that moment the sun, in the constellation of Sagittarius, sits over the Tropic of Capricorn at latitude of 23.5 degrees south.  This date is the Winter Solstice, the day on which the...

Watch the Moon Fade away During the morning of December 10, 2011, the Full Moon will slide through the dark shadow of our planet.  For 51 minutes, the only light hitting the moon will be the reddish glow from all of Earth's sunrises and sunsets - a Total Lunar Eclipse! The moon will be situated in...

Our dry start to the month of December, although not unusual, got me to thinking about which has been more wet the last 5 seasons, winter or spring?  I grouped the data two sets:  November - February and March through June. Nov. - Feb. total precipitation 2006 - 2010:     Average  19.19" (normal 2...

A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM BROUGHT STRONG...DAMAGING WINDS TO NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. THE FIRST ROUND OF STRONG WINDS ARRIVED EARLY TUESDAY MORNING. THEN WINDS RELAXED A BIT AS THE FRONT PUSHED INTO THE REGION. TUESDAY AFTERNOON THE FRONT LIFTED BAC...

Starting Monday and lasting through Sunday, this up-coming holiday week will see very active weather.  Here are the highlights, travelers should be aware of:  (Live Cameras can be seen on the Ski Forecast & Northwest pages.) 1.  Snow levels rise above Government Camp Monday afternoon.  Snow levels...