Pete Parsons, the friendly Lead Meteorologist for the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has released his highly anticipated winter forecast for November to January. You can read the written highlights below or watch the YouTube video above. Thanks to Donna Wiench for pointing out this valuable resource a few years ago.
We’re going to have a “real winter” this winter as we face a back-to-back La Niña. The ONI suggests we’re heading into a moderate, maybe even strong, La Niña.
Cold temperatures now developing in the Gulf of Alaska are likely to bring colder than average temperatures across almost all of Canada and down into the Pacific NW with cold air outbreaks, low-level snow situations, and above-average mountain snow, especially later in the season.
You don’t tend to get the cold weather early: “El Nino early, La Nina late.” Remember last February, POW!
Don’t be fooled when November’s temperatures are close to average. Stormy weather and high precipitation may give us enough snow for the ski season to start early, perhaps by Thanksgiving! The jury is still out on that one!
December will bring more cold fronts from the Gulf of Alaska through Canada, opening the door for cold weather outbreaks and lower elevation snow, including the Valley. With above-average precipitation, we’re more likely to see the snow than last December.
The weather system may shift to the east by January, and we may escape the actual cold weather, we may not. If we don’t get cold weather outbreaks in December, then we have an elevated chance of getting them in January.
I think we’re going to get at least one good blast of cold air and some low elevation snow.
Submitted by Richard Crimi