Saturday, December 31, 2011

Pattern Change Looking More Likely Each Day

The weather is going to remain pretty quiet over the next ten days but then we should start to see some changes. We will stay in the same pattern we have been in this week with the ridge off the coast keeping us dry. We may see few flakes on Friday with a storm brushing us to the North.

Then we look to week 2 where it looks like some major changes may happen in the pattern over the Pacific. Forecast models over the past few days have been consistent in ridge building out around 150w starting around the 10th. That would replace the ridge off the coast with a cold trough down the West Coast.

It is still too early to say that the pattern change is definite but it is looking better with each day. If the ridge sets up further out in the ocean near 150w it would allow Arctic air to pour down the West Coast and most likely bring some cold storms down the coast. The pattern we hope for is for the ridge to setup far enough North in the Pacific near the Aleutian Islands so that some better moisture can come under the ridge into the West Coast.

So for now we just have to enjoy the nice weather and wait about 10 days or so to see what the pattern change brings. BA

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