Big change in the forecast this morning!

We’ve gone from a slight chance of flurries over the next 5 days…. to a chance of flurries today… and Periods of Snow on the weekend!

I will have to check who would be up for Snow Contest winner, but it certainly looks like a winner could be crowned this weekend!

Looks like Colin has the best chance right now!

And now… as we all gaze out upon our February like sun drenched and crisp morning… lets all have a moment of silence for Toronto as they get pounded by a snowstorm. Muuaahaha

Well, November has come and gone and so has the rain! We set a new record according to Environment Canada. Over 800mm of rain fell at Alberni Airport in November. We nearly set a daily record as well at around 110mm on the worst day but November 2006 still beat it out with 120mm. My drains and my basement are happy that November is over.

So, anyone know where El Nino is and when he’s showing up?

We’re diving into a cold pattern this week and next that feels very much like the pattern we had last year. Remember that? Bitter cold and 6 feet of snow by the end of December (a La Nina year remember) on the East Coast? Well.. we get the bitter cold part this week. The Northerly winds should pick up, sparing us the fog, and the temperature should drop to around -8 in the early mornings next week.

Not a whiff of precipitation though. Not until next weekend, when we have what looks like a regular frontal system coming in. Might mean some snow on the front end at least. THe model has the temperature holding steady around 2-4C while it “precipitates” over us :) So snow? Hard to say, but likely not at this point. We’ll see what happens as the forecast approaches real time.

Stay warm! Time to shut off the outside pipes!

Chris

Don’t you just get that feeling that it might just maybe just might might have a snowflake in the air?

Nick and Eve asked in the comments of the last post if maybe there might be some snow tonight.

I don’t know honestly! It sure is close to being cold enough, but we really haven’t gotten down into that magical freezing point for any stretch of time really so I don’t konw if there is enough cold air to do it. And the temperature seems to be holding pretty firm at plus 2.

Hard to say though, if we get a bit of a puff of wind from the North just as the moisture starts to come in from the Pacific who knows what might happen.

One thing is for sure, if you’re out driving the Hump or Sutton Pass tonight or tomorrow morning, take care. It’s liable to get ugly.

We’re in for another warm Pacific front starting tonight and going through tomorrow. After that though, we’re going to be drying out and cooling down along with the rest of North America (right on over to the Nor’East)… we might get a little snow late in the week. Along with northern Florida!

So the snow is still in the forecast for this afternoon as cold air hangs above us. We’ll see if we actually get any. I’m not optimistic at this point, but you never know!

Remember, it has to be “measurable” snow for the contest to be won, so it has to stick to the ground enough for me to get a ruler into! Just snow falling from the sky doesn’t cut it for this hugely massive and amazing prize! :D

Expect lots and lots of rain in the next few days. The Computer model is calling for over 250mm by Tuesday. The West Coast has a rainfall warning for up to 120mm by tomorrow. I haven’t heard about any wind warnings…

Enjoy the dry weather while you can, and be careful driving any of the mountain passes!

That forecast certainly is persistent. They’ve been calling for “rain or snow” on Saturday for a few days now. And now that we’re into the 3 day timeframe and it’s still there… well… maybe it might just happen!

I was checking out Ken Clarks Accuweather blog last night. The 2 systems that might give us snow on Saturday and then a whole bunch of rain on Sunday/Monday is going to dump a whole bunch of snow on the Cascades. So even if we don’t get more than a few flurries, it looks like Mt. Washington and Whistler are going to be jumping for joy for an early start to the season in this Olympic year.

Update: Beware driving on the Hump or Sutton passes today! Going up the West side of the Hump this morning (7AM) was not fun…. a good inch of slush on the road and wet snow coming down hard.

Careful out there. You must have Winter Tires (Studded is best) or chains for your all-seasons on both the Hump and Sutton Pass this time of year…. so says DriveSmartBC