A Cold, Wet Month Ahead and Maybe More of the Same Through Midwinter

 If you enjoy cold, cloudy, wet weather, with plenty of snow in the mountains, you will love the next month.

The latest extended forecast from the most skillful global prediction system in the world (the European Center) is going for much wetter than normal conditions for most of the western U.S., with MUCH wetter than normal conditions west of the Cascade crest.  Good to see California getting a piece of this!


And temperatures over the western U.S. during the next 30 days will be colder than normal (see below).

Cold and wet can only mean one thing:  lots of snow.  Below is the predicted total for the same period.  

Skiing by Thanksgiving at Whistler, Baker, and Crystal Mountain?  It is possible.


What about the long term?  

La Nina conditions--which bring colder and wetter than normal conditions to our region, particularly after the New Year-- have strengthened and the NOAA Climate Prediction Center keeps La Nina around into mid-winter (see below). 


In short, after a cold, wet spring and a dry, warm summer/early fall, a cold/wet start of the winter season looks probable.  

Good news for replenishing our reservoirs and establishing an early snowpack.


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