WeatherWatcher: Crazy weather explained

• Crazy weather explained.
• Last week's highlights.
• Next week, slightly warmer, rainy, but still colder than average.
• Weather data from the past 3 weeks.

Crazy March weather:

Typically March-April is our crazy "if you don't like the weather, just wait 5 minutes" that the Pacific Northwest is known for. 

During the early spring time the atmosphere is starting to warm up in the Northern Hemisphere. This causes turbulent air masses and unstable air masses. We are caught right in the middle of the cold air in the Arctic and the sub tropics that are warming up. 

Similar to the great difference over the Midwest with their severe storms, we are seeing the cold air and warm air fight it out here. So far cold air has been winning with the warmer air providing the moisture. As we progress into April the warmer mild Pacific air will start to moderate us into more normal spring time temperatures that we are used to. 

In the meantime, a freak lightning storm that dumps half inch to 1 inch of hail/snow in 15 minutes is not out of the question. In fact, these freak but brief "mini storms" are more likely to occur now than in the dead of winter. An example of March's crazy weather and temperature shifts to go with it can be seen in the graph below of the daily average temperatures for March, 2010, 2011, and so far 2012.

Last week highlights:

We were wet, we actually got quite a dose of rain fall. A grand total of 4.21 inches! Our wettest day was Monday March 12th, at 1.42 inches of rain, most of it falling from about 1pm - 7pm, as a strong Pacific storm blew through. Also our unstable snow mixed with rain showers stand out in last weekend's weather too (March 10th, 11th).

Next week:

We will finally warm up a little, by that I mean we won't be flirting with the freezing or snow level, for once. I still can't rule out that an unstable air mass could bring it down to sea-level in our area for a short time, so be vigilant. 

Mid-week we will bring in warmer air with a wind storm. Right now it looks like 20-30mph with gusts to 40mph. We should start seeing highs later in the week breaking 50ºF, doesn't sound that balmy does it? It will feel much warmer than it has felt. Our average temperature should be running around 50-55ºF, including the lows, so we have quite a ways to go before we reach average temperatures for March. That being said, it's going to be another wet week, with the Pacific Storm train continuing to deliver shots of rain throughout the week, we may also get breezy, or windy at times.

Data:

At the end of January I had a problem with the rain gauge. The challenge with wireless technology is that it can be interrupted with dead batteries or interference. This time, it was interference. As a result I had to pull rain data from the Shoreline Central Market weather station for January 26th - 29th. Below is the last 3 weeks worth of weather data.

Week of January 25th - March 2nd.

High temperature: 43.7ºF (Friday March 2nd.)

Low temperature: 28.6ºF (Monday January 27th.)

Rainiest day: 0.91 inches (Saturday January 25th.)

Total rainfall: 1.36 inches

Warmest day: 40.5ºF (Friday March 2nd.)

Coldest day: 30.7ºF (Monday January 27th.)

Average temperature: 36.0ºF

Week of March 3rd - 9th:

High temperature: 55.4ºF (Thursday March 8th)

Low temperature: 26.2ºF (Wednesday March 7th)

Rainiest day: 0.42 inches (Friday March 9th)

Total rainfall: 0.62 inches

Warmest day: 47.2ºF (Saturday March 3rd)

Coldest day: 35.1ºF (Tuesday March 6th)

Average temperature: 41.7ºF

Week of March 10th - 16th:

High temperature: 53.2ºF (Friday March 16th)

Low temperature: 32.7ºF (Tuesday March 13th)

Rainiest day: 1.42 inches (Monday March 12th)

Total rainfall: 4.21 inches

Warmest day: 45.2ºF (Thursday March 15th)

Coldest day: 35.9ºF (Tuesday March 13th)

Average temperature: 40.7ºF

Warmest and coldest days are based on average temperature of the entire day, starting at midnight. All other averages are based on the whole week. All weather data unless otherwise noted is sourced from Carl's Shoreline Weather Station.

Twitter: @SWeatherWatcher