Weather With Cliff Mass
Summary: University of Washington Professor of Atmospheric Sciences and renowned Seattle weather prognosticator/personality Cliff Mass has joined KNKX’s roster of commentators. "Weather with Cliff Mass", our five-minute feature hosted by KNKX's environment reporter Bellamy Pailthorp, airs every Friday at 9 a.m. following "BirdNote", and repeats twice on Friday afternoons during All Things Considered.
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This week, an extraordinary offshore storm produced waves in the Northwest that were 30 feet tall and higher in some places places. One even swept a man out to sea near Lincoln City, Oregon, on Thursday. But KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says that event is over, and we can expect more run-of-the-mill winter weather in the days to come.
It’s been a wet and blustery week in Western Washington. That’s typical weather for this time of year in the Pacific Northwest, but KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says this weekend will be fairly dry. With lots of fresh snow in the mountains, conditions are good for winter sports enthusiasts, especially on Sunday.
Rain and cloudy skies have returned to much of the Puget Sound region. KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says Western Washington can expect more of this showery, gray weather over the next few days. But that’s in contrast to what has actually been a much sunnier winter than usual in the northwest.
If you’ve ever hiked to the top of a mountain and found yourself shedding layers of clothing because of increasing warmth, you’ve experienced a temperature inversion. They’re strongest in winter and can come with some unpleasant side effects, such as the freezing fog and declining air quality the greater Puget Sound region recently experienced in mid-December. Temperatures in the lowlands were near freezing at the time, but hit 55 degrees at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympics.
Precipitation and warmer temperatures have returned to the northwest. Light rain was falling all around the region Friday morning as fresher air moved in after a week in which a substantial ridge of high pressure had dominated and trapped in smoke all the way from the California wildfires. Also gone were the freezing fog and black ice. KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says this mild pattern will continue this weekend and into mid-week.
A strong ridge of high pressure has brought a string of sunny days to the Puget Sound, as well as patches of morning fog that is often accompanied by black ice. KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says he expects that pattern to stick around for quite a while.
Hang in there if the dreary weather in western Washington has been getting you down. It will be wet and cool again this weekend. But then a system of high pressure sets up and KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass expects a major shift in the weather for a least a week.
Have the wet weather and dark days got you down? You’re not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is extremely common in the Pacific Northwest. Recent rains and abundant cloudy skies seem to have exacerbated some people’s experience of the lack of light this time of year, says KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass.
We will be seeing a lot of rain into Thursday with the expectation of flooding in certain parts of Western Washington. And the tropical air that has moved into the region brought a record breaking high temperature for Tuesday night as well.
Another weekend dominated by mostly showery weather lies ahead, with the driest conditions on Saturday. KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says that would be a great day to head for the passes and enjoy some wintery fun. Stormy weather earlier this week dumped several feet of snow in the Cascades, allowing all the big ski areas to open.
Keep your rain gear handy. A mostly sunny start to the weekend on Friday provided a brief respite from the cold, wet and dark skies that are typical for mid-November in the Northwest, but KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says don’t be fooled.
Wet snow was on the ground Friday morning in many places around Puget Sound, as cold air surged in from British Columbia. “Particularly if you were away from the water or at 500 feet or above,” said KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass.
“Perfect fall weather,” is in store through the end of the month in the greater Puget Sound region, says KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass. Halloween should offer ideal conditions for trick or treaters. Expect dry skies and warmer than normal temperatures, with some low clouds and morning fog this weekend. After that, a dramatic shift is in store, so enjoy it while you can.
Stormy weather that took out power for tens of thousands of residents in the Pacific Northwest this week made national headlines as The Washington Post commented on the fascinating “river in the sky” that has been dumping rain on the region.
If the cool and cloudy weather that’s been dominating in the Puget Sound region this week has got you down, hang in there. KNKX weather expert Cliff Mass says the weekend forecast is “improving” and there will be a fair amount of sun poking through, especially on Sunday.