Classic Winter Inversion

We have been in an inversion for the last week. Cold air has been trapped down in the valleys under a thick blanket of low clouds and fog. Up above where it is normally colder, it has been sunny and warm. It seems like 1000 feet has been the magic spot. I have been up in the foothills showing real estate and the weather up above 1000 feet has been gloriously sunny and almost warm!

Mild sunshine at 1290 feet near Ireland Road in Camas, WA

The other day it was a cool 31 degrees and overcast with occasional light sleet at my office in East Vancouver. I headed a few miles up into the foothills to show a home and the sun was shining proud with a temperature in the mid-40s.

These inversion events seem to wreak havoc on the local weather forecasts. The local weather forecasters always seem to assume it will washout in a day or so and yet my experience is that it tends to hang around a bit longer. The weather folks have been calling for upper 40s for the last several days and they keep pushing it out further and further. Just keep saying it, eventually it will come.

Well, it has finally come. Temps are starting to push up towards 40 degrees down here and it won't be long before that inversion mixes out. The mercury as I write this, sits at a balmy 38.5 degrees which is the warmest in two weeks. The last time my weather station recorded 40 degrees was at 7pm on December 13th! But in that same window of 15 days it has not dropped below 30 degrees either. Lows in low thirties and highs in the mid thirties for two straight weeks.

The official weather stations at the airport have been seeing temperatures a few degrees warmer than my location and again up above the fog blanket much warmer temps have prevailed.

It looks like December will go down as a chilly month at least at my house, that is.

If you want to get above the dreary winter doldrums, just take a little drive up into the foothills and soak it up my friends; soak it up.

The Last Ninety for Nine

How is that for a cryptic but quite likely accurate title for this late summer weather blog post? My station hit a toasty 89.4 degrees yesterday tickling ninety degrees but just failing to hit that "it's too darn hot" number. The official station at Pearson had 91 yesterday. Today however will be a different story. Ninety degrees will come quick and early in the afternoon and boil us all day long under a desert like blanket of big, bold, blue sky.

Either there is a Bunson burner under my temperature sensor or the NWS is right on the mark. The forecast today is for mid to upper nineties and if that pans out this will likely be the hottest day of 2013. Take that Autumn! Summer is stabbing at the fall, flailing away with all she has to give. It is that last blast of her furnace before the inevitable chill sets in next month. Today is expected to be the peak of this little heat wave and the last ninety of the year will probably fall on one of these next four days. The next time we'll see a ninety degree day most likely won't arrive until June of 2014. Nine months from now, thus "The Last Ninety for Nine" seems a fitting title :)

Our friends at the National Weather Service have this forecast along with a heat advisory for today.

Maybe this heat is just too much for you. Maybe you are secretly annoyed with Summer's attack on your long awaited season of brisk autumn breezes. Well the coast may offer you the solution. This NWS Cannon Beach forecast supports the conclusion that Coast equals Cool.

You can always play hooky and drive to the coast. Here is the situation at Cannon Beach, OR. It looks a little foggy right now (Noon) but will probably see a little clearing later on. Temps are almost always cool along the shore. This could be your last opportunity for somewhat warm weather along the Oregon Coast or SW Washington's Coast. As fall approaches the rain becomes relentless along those gorgeous cliffs. Autumn comes quickly.


Maybe the foggy coast is a little overkill on the beat the heat angle. 60's too chilly? OK Timberline Lodge could be the getaway for you! The NWS forecast for the historic Mt. Hood Lodge is 70s and sunshine.

Maybe a short drive up to Hood is just what the doctor ordered for heat expulsion. Keep in mind if you stay overnight it gets downright nippy after ten up at Timberline.



You know what do, get outside and take in the last blast of summer. If you don't fancy mid nineties then you will have to stay inside your cozy air-conditioned office until after 8pm. Of course, you could enjoy the coast or mountains one last time this summer. Either way, soak it up my friends, soak it up.