Friday, November 30, 2007

Do these look like snow clouds?


Not a lot of snow falls in the lower elevations of Northwest Oregon. Oregonians are more familiar with the milder weather patterns known as mist, drizzle, showers, downpour, and torrent. So when the weather forecasters start predicting snow (and they have), it's a big thing, and Portlanders start to freak a bit. Everyone races to the store for supplies (yeah, I just got back), people put chains on their cars (seriously, a neighbor drove by last night with chains on - on bare pavement!) and kids start betting on potential snow days (sometimes just snow falling is enough to threaten school cancellations here, it doesn't even have to be sticking).

And so, today, the anticipation of potential snow is building...this afternoon's forecast reads:

"Friday November 30th,
First Alert Weather Forecast
A weather double whammy is about to hit the Pacific Northwest. Today is the calm before the Storms! Partly cloudy and cool temperatures are in the forecast today. Colder air will move from the eastside of the Cascades into Portland and the north part of the Willamette Valley tonight. A low will drop south along the coast tonight and start precipitation Saturday morning. Depending on the timing we could see an inch or two on the valley floor.... "


Now, one to two inches of snow may seem ridiculously un-newsworthy to other parts of the country, however in this area, this is the stuff excitement is made of. My picture is what the sky looks like currently. Supposedly the precipitation isn't supposed to start until tomorrow, but it's only about 35 degrees right now and those clouds are starting to look a bit ominous. I wonder if I have time to run to Home Depot for a generator...

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