SEATTLE — Two months ago we were near 90 degrees in Seattle, shattering all sorts of heat records.
Today, it’s snowing just a few hours’ drive away.
Snow is falling above about 4,000 feet with web cameras up in the mountains showing surreal winter-like scenes.
Paradise Ranger Station (5,500 feet) checked in at 30 degrees and around 4″ of new snow as of 10 a.m. Tuesday. Crystal Mountain ski area at 6,830 feet reported a low of 26 Tuesday morning. It’s led to a super rare summer-time Winter Weather Advisory:
Here's something else you don't see very often in June in Western Washington: pic.twitter.com/WC0wMMuSme
— Scott Sistek (@ScottSKOMO) June 14, 2016
In the lowlands, temperatures were stuck in the 50s, threatening to be among the coldest Flag Day’s on record. Seattle’s coldest June 14 was 57 degrees set in 1946. The forecasted high of 59 is what our average temperature is on April 18.
You might remember April 18 – -that was the day it hit 89 in Seattle. Perhaps June 14 has gone through some sort of worm hole-time travel trade? Of course, it was also just 93 degrees just a little over a week ago:
Wasn't it just 90 degrees? #Juneuary pic.twitter.com/DC4ZBJJtA3
— Crystal Mountain (@CrystalMt) June 14, 2016
If Seattle does stay under 60 degrees, it’ll be the first time a June day has been in the 50s since June 22, 2012, according to the National Weather Service.
The chilly temperatures are being caused by a massive trough of low pressure that is bringing very chilly air in from the north. In fact, the weather balloon launched from Forks early Tuesday morning recorded a temperature of -30C (-22F) at 18,000 feet — several degrees cooler than readings in northern Canada.
No wonder it's so chilly: Weather balloon at Forks found -30°C (-22F) at 18,000 feet: pic.twitter.com/ccV65R1cfN
— Scott Sistek (@ScottSKOMO) June 14, 2016
In fact, it appears the Forks’ reading was the coldest upper air reading in all of North America, including those inside the Arctic Circle! (Click to enlarge the pic or here to download it.)
More amazing: Forks' -30°C temp is coldest reading at 500mb (18k) feet in all of N. America, including the Arctic! pic.twitter.com/5oS7LxnsgJ
— Scott Sistek (@ScottSKOMO) June 14, 2016
In addition to making it snow in the mountains, the cold air is destabilizing the atmosphere in the lowlands, making for potential thunderstorms to mix in with the several showers roaming the area today.
The trough will weaken just a bit as we get through the week, allowing a little warming, but temperatures are expected to remain below normal until the weekend.
I say get those ski lifts in operation.
It was hailing here a couple days ago.
Damn ‘global warming’!