Pacific Northwest Weather

Retired Hurricane Names

2009-05-26T13:25:00.000-07:00

I saw a story today that said three names were added the retired hurricane names list. Over the last 55 years, only 14 of those have not had at least one storm named retired. 2008 had three names retired: Gustav, Ike, and Paloma. With the addition of the three names from last season, it brings the grand total to 73 retired storm names. 2005 had the most retired storm names with five total. Interesting stuff. The names added to the list will be replaced with Gonzalo, Isaias and Paulette. They will come up in 2014.

Behind The Scenes of Vortex 2

2009-05-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

From The Weather Channel, featuring a few videos of behind the scenes of VORTEX2.

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?from=email&bcpid=823503751&bclid=19052817001&bctid=22598664001

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?from=email&bcpid=823503751&bclid=19052817001&bctid=22791469001

http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?from=email&bcpid=823503751&bclid=19052817001&bctid=24051922001

NOAA NWS GOES-R

2009-05-07T13:15:00.000-07:00

NOAA has announced the contract winner to build the next generation weather satellite. The GOES-R program has chosen Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. to build two of the new satellites. The real exciting news about the GOES-R is the increased resolution that they will provide. They will double the charity and will provide 20 times the amount of information. To read the press release and learn more about the GOES-R program, check out their website. GOES-R Program Site

Warm Weather For 2 Days

2009-04-30T00:18:00.000-07:00

We've seen some sun and rain lately, but get ready....THE SUN IN BACK ! The temp will jump up a few degrees for Thursday and Friday we might crack 70. The sun stays with us until the weekend. Saturday looks mostly cloudy and some sprinkles. May really starts off wet as we get soaked Sunday through mid week. Enjoy the sun.

Bobby

Welcome To Chase Season

2009-04-27T22:30:00.001-07:00

So I went out chasing tonight. I followed a slow moving storm from Portland down to Sherwood. I drove ahead of the cell and just watched it slowly creep to the SW. I didn't see any lightning with it, but the hail and rain were very intense. Lightning detection did pick up some cloud to ground strikes in Washington State. While this was just for fun, it was good to get back out and actually watch the sky. I even found a few new places where I'll be able to watch storms if I'm down in Sherwood again.

Showers Coming To An End

2009-04-23T15:10:00.001-07:00

Showers will continue this afternoon and into this evening. We'll see them begin to die down in the early morning hours. It looks like we will start to make the transition back to dry and warm weather. We'll get back into the 70's to start the week and it looks like we'll remain in a little warmer pattern for the time being. We are still in early spring and the cold temperatures in the morning remind us of that when we walk out the door. Don't let the clouds fool you, we'll be dominated by sunshine from here on out.

Going for the records

2009-04-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

We officially topped out at 83 degrees yesterday. 84 was the record high for the day. We should easily break the record high of 77 today. The NWS forecast is calling for 80, some of the TV stations are going just a bit higher. Either way, its going to be a warm and wonderful day. Get the sun screen out and enjoy the weather. It comes back to rain later this week !

Great Weather !

2009-04-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is enjoying this great weather ! We've been in the 70's today and Monday we might hit 80! We'll see nice weather until late in the week when the clouds and rain come back. Get out and enjoy the outdoors !

Bobby

Severe Weather

2009-04-14T15:38:00.001-07:00

I was thinking of something to blog about today and then came across the screen....SEVERE WEATHER !

This is from the NWS Pendleton Office in NE Oregon.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
WAC077-142315-
/O.NEW.KPDT.SV.W.0001.090414T2218Z-090414T2315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
318 PM PDT TUE APR 14 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PENDLETON HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
SOUTHEASTERN YAKIMA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...YAKIMA...TOPPENISH...

* UNTIL 415 PM PDT

* AT 316 PM PDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED
NEAR WAPATO...OR NEAR TOPPENISH...AND MOVING SOUTH AT 15 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
ZILLAH...GRANGER AND SATUS

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

&&

LAT...LON 4608 11995 4608 12079 4659 12062 4662 12021
TIME...MOT...LOC 2218Z 351DEG 13KT 4644 12037

$$

MCJ

Thunderstorms

2009-04-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

Lightning Data this afternoon is showing lightning strikes in the Willamette Valley. Small isolated storms have been forming this afternoon and will continue to roll through until the sun sets. Small hail and gusty winds have also been reported. Welcome to instability season ! Also, just a final note to winter, we'll see the snow level drop to 1000 feet this evening as a cold pool of air moves in overhead. Showers and scattered thunderstorms will be the call for tomorrow as well.

Moving

2009-04-12T20:22:00.001-07:00

Good afternoon everyone, I apologize for not posting lately. As you know, KUPL's office has moved and each and every one of us who is making the move had to pack and unpack and organize it all. It's taken a few days for the whole process to take place and now that the dust has somewhat settled, things can get back to normal.

On to the weather....

Easter afternoon was downright wet and windy. I was lucky enough to watch it all from the comfort of a building downtown and I got to watch people have to be out in it. We'll see showers until Wednesday and then spring returns with sunshine. We'll see temps in the 60's until the weekend. If we are lucky, we could crack 70 on Saturday. Enjoy the week !

Bobby

Here Comes The Sun !

2009-04-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the sunny weekend weather. Highs on Saturday will top out around 60 and then bust out the sunscreen, we aim for 70 on Sunday ! Yes I said 70 ! Temps will remain in the 60's on Monday and maybe Tuesday. If you are heading to Eugene for the Pepsi Invitational, it will be just lovely. A light northerly wind and sunny skies will be the story. Enjoy the beautiful weekend !

Weather This Week

2009-03-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend ! I know I did ! The weather wasn't too bad this weekend. We saw showers and sunshine. Most evenings were nice after the showers died off. This week it looks like we will see more of the same. Showers on and off. I don't really see a change to this pattern for a bit of time. Enjoy the week !

Trail Blazers Make It Better...

2009-03-25T00:50:00.000-07:00

This is a weather blog, so here is the weather for the next few days. We'll see showers and then sunny skies to end the week. It looks like rain is back for the weekend. While weather is my main platform here on the blog, I also have the pleasure to be one of the members of the media who cover the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers had an event Tuesday evening at the Oregon Humane Society. TV Sideline reporter Rebecca Haarlow and play by play man Mike Barrett emceed the event. This is what I wrote for another blog and I wanted to post it here too.

Bobby

The Portland Trail Blazers are always trying to "Make It Better" out in the community. Tonight was no different. Blazer Broadcasters Mike Barrett and Rebecca Haarlow emceed an event at the Oregon Humane Society in north Portland. The event was dubbed "Yappy Hour" and featured a starting line up of dogs, cats, and two rabbits available for adoption. Each critter was named after a member of the team. Blazers Joel Przybilla and Steve Blake were on hand to assist with the festivities. The packed room was treated to stats of each available animal, including a Labrador mixed named Greg Oden. The idea for the evening was Rebecca Haarlow's. A self-described pet lover, she wanted to help out the Oregon Humane Society and she felt that this was the perfect way to do so. You can hear my interview with her Rebecca Haarlow Interview.

I highly encourage anyone who is looking for a new pet to head out to the humane society and take a look at all the animals they have. You can find out about OHS from their website by clicking Oregon Humane Society There is a signing bonus for people who do make an adoption this month.

Welcome To Spring

2009-03-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome to spring 2009 ! We passed from winter into spring early this morning around 4:22am. As usual, it was a quiet transition here in the Northwest. Let's hope we start to get some March, April, and May showers because we really need the rain.

I've had a few people ask me if we are done with a snow threat for this year, I think we are, but I can't rule out the possibility of another cold trough coming in from the north and giving us a chance at snow one more time. It's awful hard to get snow here now because the sun is strong enough to heat the atmosphere well above freezing early in the day. Now, if we had something during the night, we could get a dusting. I think we are done, but it could happen.

We are beginning to make the move from a snow threat to the convective season. We will start seeing heavier showers with hail and increased possibility of thunderstorms. The sun's strength and the somewhat cooler air above us help trigger convection and we get heavier showers and hail, sometimes they become strong enough to be thunderstorms. In the summer season, we see storms form over the mountains. Warm moist air from the south is forced over the Cascades and when the air hits the mountains, it is forced to rise. Warm air rising causes instability and we trigger storms. Some of these can become severe. Here in the metro area, we sometimes see these storms drift into the valley. When that happens, it's time to chase. Yes I said chase. I chase thunderstorms !

The weather for the next few days will be showers on and off. A very typical spring like pattern. Happy Spring !

Let The Rain (or whiskey) Fall

2009-03-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

So it rained all day on Saturday. I'm glad both my events were indoors. It looked wet outside. Friday and Saturday, KUPL hosted two events featuring Whiskey Falls and The World's Toughest Cowboys. The weather for our event Friday night at Bushwhackers was just awesome. Sunny skies and 60 degrees is hard to beat in here in the northwest. We quickly came back to reality on Saturday where it rained all day. The Portland Airport picked up .40 inches of rain. Like I said, I was glad I was inside. Saturday evening, KUPL rolled over to the rodeo at the Rose Garden. We had a blast pre-show hanging out with the listeners and the rodeo court from the Molalla Buckeroo. The rodeo action was great, a local cowboy even took home the bull riding top prize ! The post show concert featuring Whiskey Falls was amazing. They not only brought the house down with their great music, but were still cool enough to come do an autograph line after the show was over. As they say in the song, Let The Whiskey Fall !

Oregon AMS and QPF !

2009-03-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

What a change of weather over the last four days. We've gone from low elevation snow to sunny and somewhat warm temperatures. We'll see more sunshine today and tomorrow. Highs will be pushing 60 degrees. The weekend brings a change. Saturday, the rain returns. Sunday, even more rain. The QPF or Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (amount of precip forecasted to fall) is saying we are looking at anywhere from 9 to 12 inches of water falling from the skies over the next 180 hours. While this will raise creeks and rivers, I don't think we will see massive low land flooding. We're are still very dry around here and a nice soaking will do wonders for our rain totals so far. Another limiting factor of flooding is that the mountains will still hold the snow pack. Temps up there will remain in the 30's. So enjoy the sunshine today and tomorrow !

The Oregon AMS will hold its March meeting this evening at the KPTV TV studios in Beaverton. Doors will open at 6:45pm, meeting will start at 7 ! Steve Pierce of Vancouver will recap the winter we just had. Mark Nelsen, Chief Meteorologist will also recap the east wind event in January. Details are here!

Crazy Spring Weather

2009-03-09T14:09:00.001-07:00

Just today, I've seen Snow, Rain, Hail, Wind, Sunshine, and Fog. Welcome to spring in the northwest. We are under the influence of arctic air that is really cold up high in the atmosphere, but is near freezing close to the valley floor. We saw snow this morning with temps right around 32. The sun is high enough in the sky now, that its able to somewhat warm the atmosphere. While it can't warm us into the 70's yet, its still strong enough to fire up some rain and hail showers. The sun causes the atmosphere to become unstable and that fires off the showers. It is still chilly outside, but the forecast calls for nicer and warmer weather starting tomorrow. Welcome to spring in the northwest. If you don't like the weather right now, wait a few minutes, its sure to change !

Will It Snow ?

2009-03-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

That's the big question for the weekend ! I think it will snow in the Portland Metro area. We should begin to see the snow fly this evening and then we get into the snow showers until Monday. Most of the metro area will see somewhere around an inch of snow. Higher elevations will see more. The 12Z model runs are indicating that there is enough precip around that even folks living on the valley floor will see sticking snow.

My forecast for the weekend is as follows:

Portland City Proper and surrounding metro areas below 500 feet, will all see sticking snow and accumulations around an inch. You might see more if you are under a heavier shower.

For Folks above 500 feet, I think you're looking at snow depths up to three inches.

We will continue to see cold weather into the week, but the precip begins to die off quickly. Models want to usher in spring in a big way later in the week !

Thanks to Ben in Tillamook who knew the answer to my question on the last post. The official water year begins in October.

Snow Again ?

2009-03-04T14:42:00.000-08:00

I've spent the last few hours looking over weather maps, models, text outputs, and pictures. I've also chatted with some of the private mets around town. It looks like we are all thinking snow for this weekend. While we haven't nailed down the amount of snow, all the key factors will be in place for snow. We will have modified arctic air coming south from Canada and we will have precip coming off the ocean. Those two mixing can bring snow to all of the metro area. Again, it will all depend on how much precip we have. As we get closer to the weekend, that side of the equation will become much more clear. As for the rest of the week, we will see showers and colder temps. The first wave of colder air moves in tonight over the area. The snow level will bounce between 1000 and 2000 feet until the weekend. We really do need the rain and snow as we are almost 9 inches of rainfall behind the average for the water year. Since January 1st, we are almost four inches behind. I'm not sure if we will be looking at a drought come this summer, but we need all the rain and snow we can get.

Quiz Time ! Who can tell me when the water year officially begins ? Send me your guess at xBobbyAMSPrez@gmail.com ! Just remove the x at the beginning. The winner will get a shout out on the blog.

Arctic Air Coming Back ?

2009-03-03T00:04:00.000-08:00

Oh No Can It Be ? Arctic Air again ? Weather models tonight are hinting that we might get an arctic air intrusion this weekend. It's still too far out to know if we will see anything like we did in December. It appears that it will be cold enough to support snow down to the valley floor. The question as always is, where will the precip go ? I think most areas could see snow and accumulations of an inch. It's very possible. I'll update through the week as we get closer to the weekend !

Bobby

Concert Day Weather

2009-02-26T23:51:00.000-08:00

KUPL and Portland welcomes Brad Paisley to town today ! The KUPL Pre-Party kicks off at 4pm and we start prizes at 5pm. The forecast is looking good for Friday. We might see some freezing fog to start off the day, but it will quickly burn off. Partly sunny skies will greet the concert goers in the afternoon. The high temp will be in the mid 40's. Bring a coat because it will be chilly when you leave the show. The KUPL tent will be heated, so stop on by and party with us. See you at the show !

Snow Is Coming Back

2009-02-25T21:35:00.001-08:00

It looks like we will see more snow this evening. Most of the Portland area will see a dusting. If you live higher in the hills, you will see more. Enjoy the snow and remember it. It could be the last of the year.

Welcome Hot N Fresh Readers !

2009-02-25T00:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Brick's Weather Blog.

This is Bobby from the KUPL Street Team. When I'm not on the streets promoting 98.7 KUPL and the great country music we play, I am the President of The Oregon AMS. The Oregon AMS is group of dedicated weather professionals and enthusiasts. We have TV meteorologists and government mets, private sector forecasters and weather nerds. We meet once a month and discuss weather and issues related to it.

I began my love of weather when I was 8. I used to love having school days off because of snow. In high school, I was the weather watcher from Beaverton for channels 2, 6, and 8. In college, I worked at KATU Channel 2 in the weather department as the weather producer. I really learned how the TV side of weather is presented and what goes into making a good television forecast. Its not as easy as people think it is. You can't just look out the window and know whats going to happen. I'm honored to know most of the TV weather people personally and many are good friends.

If you see me on the street and want to talk weather, step on up. I'll always try to explain whats really going on.

Spring Flowers

2009-02-18T15:22:00.000-08:00

I took these pictures this afternoon. While we are in the heart of winter, spring like weather has arrived. Its very nice outside today. Temps are in the 50s. Its very beautiful.

January Weather Stats

2009-02-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

The NOAA/NWS has issued the monthly report on temperatures. Here is a link to January's stats !

NOAA Report

Getting ready for more snow !

2009-02-05T23:56:00.000-08:00

The 23 inches of snow this winter I guess isn't enough. The UW MM5 GFS shows another 1-4 inches coming up this week. Here is the picture from them. This will go down as a great winter regardless !

I'm Dreaming of A White Christmas !

2008-12-25T16:03:00.001-08:00

So I say that every year, but for the second year in a row, we've had a white Christmas. NWS will release the total that fell today, and that will make it official !

The Weather Channel: Most Viewed during Gustav

2008-09-03T17:22:00.001-07:00

The numbers are in and The Weather Channel was the most watched cable news outlet during Hurricane Gustav. According to the TV ratings people, 50 million people tuned into The Weather Channel. CNN and Fox News pulled in over 35 million as well. Over 100 million people saw some type of coverage from the cable news networks. With all the coverage of Gustav, it will be interesting to see how the networks cover storms in the future. We all tuned in to see what would happen to New Orleans. We were lucky that Gustav was not a Katrina.

Here is the press release from The Weather Channel:
Press Release

New Real Time Tide Monitoring in The Gulf

2008-09-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

NOAA has released information on the new tide monitoring system for the Gulf of Mexico. The new stands will measure real time tidal conditions and will help local officials determine what steps need to be taken for storm surge and other water related issues.

To read the release click here.

July Temp Profiles

2008-09-01T13:20:00.000-07:00

Just came across this info from NOAA. The July Temp Breakdown is as follows:

August 15, 2008

The combined average global land and ocean surface temperature for July 2008 tied with 2001 and 2003 as the fifth warmest July since worldwide records began in 1880, according to an analysis by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

Also, the seven months from January to July 2008 ranked as the ninth warmest seven-month period for combined average global land and ocean surface temperature.

Global Temperatures

* The July 2008 combined global land and ocean surface temperature was 0.88 degree F (0.49 degree C) above the 20th century mean of 60.4 degrees F (15.8 degrees C). For the January – July period, the combined global land and ocean surface temperature was 0.81 degree F (0.45 degree C) above the 20th century mean of 56.9 degrees F (13.8 degrees C).

* Separately, the global land surface temperature for July was 1.22 degrees F (0.68 degree C) above the 20th century mean of 57.8 degrees F (14.3 degrees C). For January – July, the global land surface temperature was 1.35 degrees F (0.75 degree C) above the 20th century mean of 46.8 degrees F (8.3 degrees C).

* The July global ocean surface temperature was 0.76 degree F (0.42 degree C) above the 20th century mean of 61.5 degrees F (16.4 degrees C). The January – July global ocean surface temperature was 0.61 degrees F (0.34 degrees C) above the 20th century mean of 61.0 degrees F (16.1 degrees C).

Global Highlights

* El Niño-Southern Oscillation conditions continued neutral through July in the tropical Pacific Ocean, ending the La Niña event that began in mid-2007.

* Northern Hemisphere sea ice extent ranked fourth lowest on record for July. Since 1979, Northern Hemisphere sea ice extent in July has decreased by 6.1 percent per decade. In contrast, the Southern Hemisphere sea ice extent was slightly above the 1979-2000 average and ranked tenth largest for July out of the last 30 years.

* Rains from Hurricane Dolly caused landslides in Guatemala that killed 21 people. The storm, after making landfall at South Padre Island, Texas, on July 23 brought torrential rain and flooding to both the Mexican and U.S. sides of the Rio Grande Valley. Nearly 250,000 people in Mexico were left without safe drinking water.

* Typhoon Kalmaegi/Helen (July 13-20) passed over the Philippines, Taiwan, and eastern China, killing at least 18 and causing about $10 million (U.S.) in damage. Some mountainous locations in Taiwan reported more than 1100 mm (43 inches) of rain during the storm. A few days later (July 23-30), Typhoon Fung-wong passed over many of the same areas, dumping 838 mm (32.9 inches) of rain on Hualien on Taiwan’s east coast. Extensive damage exceeding $6 million (U.S.) and six fatalities were reported.

* Heavy monsoon rains pelted northern India and Bangladesh between July 5-14, resulting in floods and landslides that claimed 20 lives. Eleven people died in monsoon flooding and landslides in Nepal in early July.

* By the end of July, drought conditions improved slightly across China’s northern Xinjiang and Gansu provinces, and in parts of Ningxia and Inner Mongolia provinces, where conditions improved from severe to moderate drought.

Other Key Events

* Two powerful storms struck New Zealand between July 26 – 30, triggering flash flooding and widespread damage caused by winds equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane. On July 5, the Norwegian capital of Oslo was hammered with heavy rain and flash flooding and 97 km/h (60 mph) wind gusts.

* Torrential downpours July 23-26 in South Korea inundated more than 3,000 acres of farmland, damaged more than 600 homes and killed seven. In western Japan, more than 100 mm (four inches) of rain fell in less than two hours, killing four and flooding hundreds of homes. Severe storms over Ukraine and Romania July 25-29 caused the Dniester and Prut rivers to top their banks, flooding nearly 50,000 homes and killing 34 people.

NOAA understands and predicts changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and conserves and manages our coastal and marine resources.

NOAA Hurricane Update

2008-08-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

NOAA has updated its forecast for the rest of the Hurricane Season. You can listen to the podcast produced by them by rolling your mouse over the link and pressing play.

Forecast Update

CZK - Cascade Locks

2008-08-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

I took a little road trip today out to the Columbia River Gorge. On a whim, I decided that Cascade Locks would be a good place to go. I've been there a few times, but have never really looked at the town in depth. My twin sister made the trip with me. We looked around the town and had a good time. Driving down the main drag, we passed an open field and wham it hit me. This was the Cascade Locks airport. As we came down the street, just passed the ball diamond we saw it. It was the official weather station known as KCZK or CZK or Cascade Locks obs tower.

I've seen most of the official obs towers in the metro area. This one was no different. It has no direct exposure to the river as it sits in a field surrounded by timber on three sides and a road on the fourth. I'm still trying to figure out why it has problems reporting some days. The power lines looked a little suspect when I really looked at them, maybe that's the problem. Maybe not. Oh Well. Enjoy.

Mt. Adams Fire Pictures

2008-07-13T16:25:00.003-07:00

On my way into work this afternoon, I took a few minutes and snapped these photos from my favorite storm chase spot in the West Hills of Portland. At last update, the fire was at 30 acres. Mark Nelsen (KPTV Chief Met) is reporting on his blog that people are hearing explosions at the trail head where climbers park their cars. Welcome to fire season in the NW.

TWC has been purchased

2008-07-06T21:36:00.000-07:00

Multiple media outlets are reporting that NBC Universal has agreed to purchase Atlanta, Georgia based "The Weather Channel" for 3.5 billion dollars. The purchase includes The Weather Channel's TV network, website "weather.com", W.S.I. (makers of TV Weather graphics computers), a weather radar company, and the portion of Canada's Weather Channel that TWC owns.

Waiting On The Weather Channel

2008-06-30T11:51:00.001-07:00

NBC Universal has taken the lead to acquire The Weather Channel from Landmark Comm, the parent company of TWC. Like I said in other posts, a combination of The Weather Channel and NBC's WeatherPlus would be a great one two punch. Its now wait and see.

TWC HD Preview

2008-05-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

TWC is getting ready to roll out in full HD. Here is a great article with pictures of the new studio. I love the $400,000 HD screen !

Bobby

TWC HD Rollout

REI goes "Green"

2008-05-19T12:45:00.000-07:00

This news is from REI. They are going to be outfitting stores with solar panels. Its a great idea for a company that strives on the outdoors and making sure people get outdoors. Here is the press release.

May 15, 2008

CONTACT: REI Public Affairs (253) 395-5958

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

REI Extends Commitment to Renewable Energy with Solar Power Investment
Solar Electric Installations Planned for Retail Locations in California, Oregon and Texas

Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI), a national retail cooperative providing quality outdoor gear and clothing, today announced plans to retrofit more than 10 percent of its stores with solar electric technology in 2008. Aligned with the co-op’s environmental priorities, REI’s commitment represents one of the largest solar investments for a specialty retailer in the country.

Photovoltaic solar panels can self-generate up to 35 percent of a store’s energy needs. REI’s solar investment will generate an estimated 1.1 million kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power 117 homes for one year and save approximately 880 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

The co-op has selected 11 stores to be retrofitted with solar electric systems in 2008. The seven locations in California include Arcadia, Folsom, Sacramento, San Carlos, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Rosa. Additional stores include three in Oregon – Clackamas, Hillsboro and Tualatin – and the co-op’s second prototype store in Round Rock, Texas, which was piloted in Boulder, Colo. and aims to test retail design and green building concepts. These locations will serve as a foundation for REI to determine how it approaches solar installations in the future.

“We are continuously looking for ways to make the design, construction and operation of our buildings more sustainable,” said Brian Unmacht, REI’s executive vice president of Sales, Service, Store Development and Logistics. “This investment in solar technology will deliver both financial and environmental benefits, helping to contribute to the long-term strength of the co-op and support our goal to reduce our carbon footprint.”

Consulting with Blue Oak Energy, a solar electric engineering firm, the store locations were selected based on a variety of criteria, including available state incentives and utility rebates, current cost of electricity, and size and current condition of the store’s roof. The solar panels for the REI stores in California will be installed by Offset Electric, while the Oregon locations will be retrofitted by Christenson Electric, Inc., a large privately held electrical contractor based in Portland, Ore.

“REI understands that enjoying and protecting the natural environment go hand-in-hand,” said Tobin Booth, president of Blue Oak Energy. “We are honored to be part of this historic project to power REI retail stores with clean, renewable solar energy.”

“It is naturally fitting that REI, whose main focus is promoting the great outdoors, would make use of renewable resources to reduce their impact on the environment and energize their stores.” said Mark Walter, president of Christenson Electric, Inc. “Christenson is proud to be involved with REI’s solar projects, along with our photovoltaic designer, EI Solutions.”

REI is dedicated to green building design to lower its impacts on the environment, reduce operating costs and enhance the retail experience for its customers and employees. To accomplish this, the company has chosen to focus on areas such as increasing water conservation, waste recycling, energy efficiency and indoor air quality in its locations.

The co-op has committed to utilizing renewable power sources wherever possible. REI currently purchases approximately 20 percent of its electricity from green sources, including wind and biomass, and continues to collaborate with utility companies in developing additional options available in the market.

Announced in May 2006, REI’s prototype initiative was developed to test retail design and green building concepts, and help the company make decisions on how it will approach store design and construction in the future. The company will analyze the Boulder and Round Rock locations extensively prior to opening a third prototype store currently targeted for 2010.

REI first announced formal strategies to reduce the company’s carbon footprint in its 2006 stewardship report. For additional information on the co-op’s social and environmental practices, including its inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, visit the 2007 stewardship report available online at www.rei.com/stewardship.

About REI
REI is a national outdoor retail co-op dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Founded in 1938 by a group of Pacific Northwest mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI operates retail stores nationwide, two online stores – www.rei.com and www.REI-OUTLET.com – and an adventure travel company, REI Adventures. REI offers products from all of the top brands for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, paddling, snow sports and travel, including its own line of award-winning outdoor gear and apparel. While anyone may join or shop at REI, members pay a one-time $20 fee and receive a share in the company’s profits through an annual member refund based on their purchases. As an active supporter of the communities in which it does business, REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions

About Blue Oak Energy
Blue Oak Energy is a design, engineering and planning firm for the solar electric industry. The company is responsible for engineering activities associated with some of the largest and most prominent North American solar electric projects. Blue Oak Energy is a member of the 1% For the Planet and a percentage of the company’s annual earnings are donated to environmental organizations. Their offices are located in Davis, California. For more information, please visit www.blueoakenergy.com.

Brown Goes Green ?

2008-05-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

UPS announced earlier this week that they are adding more hybrid vehicles to the fleet of delivery trucks they drive. So "Brown" is going "Green"...one question still exists. Can we race the hybrid trucks ?

Here is the press release from UPS.

UPS "Green Fleet" to Expand with 200 Hybrid Electrics in Addition to 300 Compressed Natural Gas Vehicles

ATLANTA, May 13, 2008 - UPS (NYSE: UPS) today announced it has ordered 200 hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) - the largest commercial order of such trucks by any company - in addition to another 300 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles for its U.S. delivery fleet.

The purchase of the 500 additional vehicles means the UPS alternative fuel fleet - already the largest such private fleet in the United States - will grow 30 percent from 1,718 to 2,218 low-carbon vehicles.

"Alternative fuel research and development is just one of the ways that UPS is mitigating climate change risks," said Bob Stoffel, UPS's corporate sustainability officer. "We also are focused on aggressive conservation programs and improving network efficiency to cut fuel use."

UPS's "green fleet" operates in the United States, Germany, France, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom and has traveled nearly 144 million miles since 2000. The fleet includes electric, hybrid electric, CNG, liquefied natural gas and propane-powered vehicles. The company also is continuing work with the Environmental Protection Agency on a hydraulic hybrid delivery vehicle.

"UPS has been utilizing alternative fuel vehicles for more than 70 years and is clearly the industry leader in hybrid electric and CNG vehicle purchases," said Robert Hall, director of UPS's ground fleet. "At UPS, it's very important to us to demonstrate our commitment with action, which is why we have the largest private 'green' fleet in the industry. And both CNG and HEV vehicles provide substantial reductions in carbon emissions, which supports our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment."

The 200 hybrid electric vehicles will be deployed in 2009 and join 50 HEV delivery trucks already in operation. The 200 trucks are expected to save 176,000 gallons of fuel annually and reduce CO2 emissions by 1,786 metric tons each year. That is the equivalent of removing almost 100 conventional UPS trucks from the road for a year.

The HEV's hybrid power system allows UPS to save on fuel and pollution-causing emissions. A battery pack, motor/generator and power control system are added, which allow electric power to be fed into the powertrain when conditions demand it, providing further savings.

The HEVs also use what is known as regenerative braking, meaning the energy produced in stopping the moving vehicle is captured and returned to the battery system as electrical energy. The efficient, computer-controlled combination of clean diesel power, electric power and regenerative braking produces dramatic improvements in fuel savings and emissions reductions.

The 300 CNG vehicles will be deployed later this year and join more than 800 such vehicles already in use in the United States. CNG vehicles run on natural gas, a cost-effective, clean-burning and readily available fuel. These vehicles are expected to yield a 20 percent reduction in emissions over the cleanest diesel engines available today.

The CNG/HEV vehicle order follows the April 2008 deployment of 167 new CNG vehicles in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Ontario, San Ramon, Fresno and Sacramento. In addition, UPS added 50 next-generation hybrid electric delivery trucks in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Phoenix in May 2007.

The chassis for the CNG and HEV trucks are being purchased from Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, with Eaton Corporation supplying the hybrid power system for the HEVs. The truck bodies are identical externally to the signature-brown trucks that now comprise the UPS fleet with additional script markings that will identify them as CNG and HEV vehicles.

UPS (NYSE:UPS) pursues a wide range of socially responsible and sustainable business practices designed to reduce our impact on the environment and improve communities around the world. UPS is included in the Dow Jones and FTSE4Good Sustainability Indexes, which evaluate corporations based on economic, environmental and social criteria. Learn more about UPS's responsible business practices at sustainability.ups.com.

PGE Adds More Wind Power To The Party

2008-04-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

PGE continues its ramp up of wind energy production.

News Release from: PGE
PGE TO BUY TURBINES FOR BIGLOW CANYON WIND PROJECT EXPANSION
Posted: April 3rd, 2008 7:47 AM

Portland, Ore. — Portland General Electric Company (PGE) (NYSE: POR) and Siemens Power Generation, Inc., part of the global Siemens Energy Sector, today announced they have executed agreements for PGE to buy 141 turbines to complete construction of its 25,000-acre Biglow Canyon Wind Farm in Sherman County, Ore.

"Biglow Canyon Wind Farm is a major investment in renewable energy and resource diversity for PGE customers," said Jim Lobdell, PGE's vice president for power operations and resource strategy. "Siemens has the right product and know-how to help ensure the project will be completed efficiently and perform as promised."

Siemens, one of the leading suppliers of components and systems to companies in the energy and electricity industry, has installed approximately 7,000 turbines at some of the world's largest wind farms. "This is one of the largest single wind turbine orders we've received in the world's largest wind energy market," stated Andreas Nauen, head of Siemens' wind business. "Siemens is pleased to have been chosen by PGE to help meet the growing demand for clean, wind-generated electricity."

PGE is building the Biglow Canyon project in three phases. The first phase, with 76 turbines, became fully operational in December of 2007. PGE expects phase two's 65 turbines to be installed in 2009, and phase three's 76 turbines to be installed in 2010.

When complete, the Biglow Canyon Wind Farm is expected to have an installed capacity of nearly 450 MW, enough to supply the electricity needs of more than 100,000 homes.

Siemens will deliver, install and commission the 141 SWT-2.3-93 wind turbines with a capacity of 2.3 MW each, totaling 324.3 MW, under a five-year warranty, and will provide service and maintenance pursuant to a separate service and maintenance agreement.

PGE expects total project costs for phases two and three of the Biglow Canyon project to remain within the previously-disclosed range of $700 million to $800 million, including allowance for funds used during construction (AFDC).

The Biglow Canyon facility will help PGE with its plans to satisfy Oregon's renewable energy standard, which requires the utility to meet 15 percent of its load with renewable resources by 2015 and 25 percent by 2025. About 3.4 percent of PGE's energy mix currently comes from wind farms –Biglow Canyon phase one plus power PGE purchases on contract from the Klondike II and Vansycle Ridge Wind Farms.

PGE is working with the Oregon Public Utility Commission to complete a request-for-proposals, to be issued in the next few weeks, seeking an additional 218 average MW of renewable resources. The company hopes to have a variety of projects to evaluate such as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass.

"Wind and most other renewable energy options available today are variable resources that have great potential but need to be backed up with conventional capacity," PGE's Lobdell said. "PGE is working to combine these resources to reduce its environmental footprint while providing customers with reliable, reasonably priced electricity."

The Biglow Canyon project was developed by Orion Energy LLC and is owned by PGE. In addition to phase one, PGE will manage the construction, own, and operate phases two and three of the wind farm.

Funny Things You Read

2008-04-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

I came across this little article this afternoon. I highly doubt it has any real substance, but still a funny read. A Weather Channel employee on Girls Gone Wild ? Gotta love the internet and free time.

TWC Gone Wild ?

Wacky Weather

2008-03-30T19:11:00.001-07:00

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
600 PM PDT SUN MAR 30 2008

From NWSFO PDX ! Doesn't surprise me that this week, we've had snow, rain, sun, hail, wind, lightning, thunder, and now Funnel Cloud. Welcome to a La Nina spring in the Northwest !

Bobby

ORZ007-310900-
CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SALEM...MCMINNVILLE...DALLAS
600 PM PDT SUN MAR 30 2008

...FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED NEAR WOODBURN IN MARION COUNTY...

AT 547 PM PDT THE PUBLIC REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 5 MILES SOUTH OF
WOODBURN IN MARION COUNTY AND THEN LOST SIGHT OF IT SHORTLY AFTER THAT.
IT MOST LIKELY DISSIPATED SHORTLY AFTER IT FORMED. THE AIR MASS IS
UNSTABLE AND IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THESE TYPES OF FUNNELS TO FORM
IN THIS WEATHER PATTERN. IT IS MUCH LESS LIKELY FOR ONE TO TOUCH
DOWN ON THE GROUND. IF THEY DO HOWEVER THEY CAN CAUSE DAMAGE.

U.S. Tsunami Warning System Complete !

2008-03-10T16:09:00.000-07:00

NOAA has finished placing buoys for the U.S. Tsunami Warning System. The final two buoys were put in place last week, just off the Solomon Islands. NOAA has placed over 35 DART buoys around the world. You can read more about the Warning System here. For a map of the buoys, click on Map.

The Weather Channel Bidding War Begins !

2008-03-06T20:58:00.001-08:00

The New York Times is reporting that several media companies are ready to bid for Landmark Communications number one property, The Weather Channel. Landmark has set a deadline for this Friday, March 7th, for bids to be submitted. You can read the story here.

It will be interesting to see who makes the most aggressive bid. The key thing to remember is that while the cable network is valuable, the website weather.com is the most valuable piece of the puzzle. If I had to make a guess, I think General Electric (Parent Company of NBC) will take the prize and join The Weather Channel with Weather Plus. If Weather Plus and The Weather Channel do end up merging, you have the most powerful news operation and weather network under one roof. That's a very powerful combination.

Oregon AMS Temp Trek This Saturday

2008-02-20T12:06:00.000-08:00

The annual temp trek takes place this Saturday. If you are interested in joining us, please shoot an email my way or to Drew Jackson at KPTV. We will get started around 7am at different points around the metro area and then join up in a group downtown around 8am. The data we all gather will be turned into some excellent maps and we will review them at the next AMS meeting in March !

Long Range Forecast Results

2008-02-18T23:05:00.001-08:00

Congrats to KPTV and KGW. Both stations scored a total of 13 points for the extended contest. KATU scored 10 points and KOIN scored 9. The low temps forecasts by each station were extremely accurate, mostly 1-2 degrees difference off the actual low. I've had some good feed back on this, so I think I will plan to do this again soon.

Daily Forecast Results

2008-02-18T18:21:00.002-08:00

The results are in following the week long daily forecast contest. Before I post the scores, which were very close, I will say all the stations did really well with the actual weather. The temps were the one thing that really messed with the scoring. And the winners are....

T-1
KOIN 15 pts
NWS 15 pts

T-3
KGW 13 pts
KPTV 13 pts

5th: KATU 12 pts

KOIN was the most consistent day to day. KPTV and KGW remained tied since the forecast contest started. KATU came on strong the last two days, scoring the most points.

The results of the Extended Forecast Contest will be posted later.

PDX Weather Watch

2008-02-11T22:55:00.000-08:00

So you want to know how accurate your favorite TV station's weather department is ? This week I will be monitoring and recording the forecasts from KATU, KOIN, KGW, and KPTV. I will do two forecast contests, daily weather for Portland and an extended forecast break down.

Daily Forecast Test will look at these three pieces of info: High Temp, Wind Forecast, and Weather Forecasted (ie showers, sun)

Extended Forecast Test will compare High/Low Temp and Weather Forecasted

The rules for the Daily Test are as follows:

Exact temp = 3 points
-1 or +1 = 2 points
-2 or +2 = 1 point
-3 or +3 = 0 points

Weather Forecasted / Wind Forecasted:
This will be based on Weather Observations at PDX. It will be judged in 1/3rds.
If you say showers Morning and Afternoon, you get two points. Showers all day, and it verifys, 3 points.

Rules for Extended Forecast Test:

High / Low Forecast Temps:
Exact temp = 3 points
-1 or +1 = 2 points
-2 or +2 = 1 point
-3 or +3 = 0 points

Weather Forecasted:
Since this is a forecast based on one day, I will judge it as so. If you say showers, and it rains at PDX, then you get a point. Very Simple

Snow !

2007-12-25T12:07:00.000-08:00

KPTV Pics.....

2007-12-10T00:32:00.000-08:00

Mark On Air !
Mark Updating The Forecast
Mark Explaing A Weather Event!
Mark Shows The Paper Forecast!
The First Live Local Weather Center!
Mark Watches The Tease!

KPTV Visit...

2007-12-10T00:04:00.000-08:00

A few friends made our way over to KPTV this evening to hang out with Mr. Mark Nelsen. He was gracious enough to host us. Here is the group photo without me.

Coastal Storm Damage Pictures

2007-12-08T22:42:00.000-08:00

Steve Pierce, blog contributor and fellow Oregon AMS member has put together a great montage of photos from the coast. Here is link.

Storm Photos

Another Picture

2007-10-26T14:43:00.001-07:00

Here is where it broke off.

more pictures.

2007-10-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

another picture

2007-10-26T13:58:00.001-07:00

another windy fall

2007-10-26T13:54:00.000-07:00

So last week it was the neighbors tree that fell and then today a big branch from a tree in my yard fell. Here are two pictures.

Steve Pierce Winter Forecast

2007-10-20T23:23:00.000-07:00

Blog writer and "weather geek" put out his Winter Forecast a few weeks ago. Take a look at it. Steve won't be presenting at the AMS Winter Weather Meeting, but some of his information will make it into a presentation.

Steve Pierce Forecast

Tree Falls In Beaverton

2007-10-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

I'm watching another great Saturday of college football when I see a movement of something out of the corner of my eye. I quickly look to the left and see a tree slamming into the house across the street. I grabbed my camera and clicked a few pictures ! The wind was blowing all that hard. I'm guessing the tree rotted and just went over. There were a ton of bees flying around the base. Looks like they will have to find a new home.

Bobby

Skywarn and Ham Operator Working to Save Lives !

2007-10-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

This an article about a skywarn member in Michigan who is working to save lives.

Remembering The Mother Of All Storms

2007-10-11T23:14:00.000-07:00

Yes thats right. October 12th, 1962...The Columbus Day Storm. This is the measuring stick that all of the pacific storms are judged by. The storm is one of the most powerful to ever strike the United States. Millions of board feet of timber were destroyed and tons of weather stations were taken off line as they were either blown away or hit by debris. I wasn't around in '62, but after watching old news footage, I'm glad I wasn't here to see it in person, I just hope I get to see a storm close to that soon.

Here is a video of the Dec. 12th 2006 storm that brought high winds to the coast and the valley !

Portland NWS Open House

2007-10-06T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today was the NWS open house in Portland. It was a cool event to attend. I was handing out information about the Oregon AMS and just chatting with the forecasters and fellow weather fans. Most of the focus from my stand point was the upcoming wind event on Tuesday. It was very interesting to see the NWS forecasters sort through the information and really explain to all of us the dynamics and the reasons why it might not happen this time. Steve Pierce, blog writer and weather nut also made an appearance. This guy is all about the snow and windstorm. He is a valuable resource to this blog and the others that he posts information. It was very cool to see the different tools that are available to the NWS. I was blown away at the technology that they had at their disposal. I was very jealous that they have all the information available, just a click away. The day started with a quick overall briefing of the national weather service and who they are and what they do. The entire staff was friendly and willing to talk. I was very impressed with them all. I had a chance to sit down with Tyree Wilde, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist from the Portland NWS WFO (Weather Forecast Office) and chat about the new Storm Based Warning System. Move your mouse over the link and the player will appear and click play. To download the interview, simply click the link.

Tyree Wilde Storm Based Warning

Funnel Cloud in da Couv !

2007-10-04T23:30:00.001-07:00

From PDX NWSFO !

SHORT TERM FORECAST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR 542 PM PDT THU OCT 4 2007 WAZ023-039-040-050115- GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS- WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE- 542 PM PDT THU OCT 4 2007 .NOW... AT 542 PM PDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM NEAR I-205 AND WASHINGTON HIGHWAY 14...OR ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BATTLE GROUND...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. A TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTER REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. SMALL HAIL...HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS UP TO 35 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED IN THIS AREA.

Photos can be found at the Storm Team 12 Blog ! Storm Team 12 Blog

Wild Upcoming Weather ?

2007-10-03T22:23:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last half hour looking at maps for Tuesday and Thursday of next week. Many models have deep low pressure systems heading this way. Steve Pierce, blog contributor and fellow weather geek is saying that some models bring it on course for a good wind event, while the Euro takes it out farther in the ocean. Only time will tell. All of us are waiting for the next MM5 run to come in. That will be about 1am pacific. The Drought Monitor conference is next week as well. If the models start to get some consistency on the location of the low and it does infact look like a wind event, you will have a giant gathering of weather people in Portland. That could be a very cool thing to see !

Record Rainfall and Cloud Seeding In Kansas !

2007-09-30T23:22:00.000-07:00

Eugene broke the one day rainfall record for today, September 31st. Portland is close and I will update any other records if they are broken. Here is a story from Kansas City. Looks like they are trying to cloud seed.

Kansas weather modification program relies on ‘cloud seeding’
By MARIA SUDEKUM FISHER
The Associated Press
LAKIN, Kan. | Water is prized in western Kansas, where aquifers are suffering and farms are miles wide and generations deep.

A scant half inch of rain can mean the difference between a successful season and a failed one. But when it comes in the form of fist-sized balls of ice known as hail, water’s more than a menace. It can damage and even destroy crops.

That’s where the Western Kansas Weather Modification Program and other cloud-seeding operations across the western U.S. come in. The program is among about 10 that tinker with the weather — either by trying to cut the size of hail or boost rainfall and snowpack. They do it largely by shooting up storm clouds with silver iodide or dry ice mixtures.

Cloud seeding has a host of critics, from those who say there is no good science to support claims that it works to others who raise concerns about the possibility that it actually may cause less rain and harm the environment.

Cloud seeding was developed after World War II to try to increase rainfall. The theory is that the silver iodide, which has a structure that resembles ice, creates raindrops in the clouds, increasing precipitation and reducing moisture for hail formation.

A measure before the U.S. Senate would allocate $10 million a year to establish an agency that would develop policy and research weather modification programs.

Kansas started its program in 1975. The Western Kansas Weather Modification Program now covers about 8,000 miles and is used about 85 percent of the time for hail reduction. The program, which receives state and local funding, was briefly extended into northwest Kansas in the late 1990s. But residents became concerned that cloud seeding may have been reducing their rainfall amounts and voted the program out.

The program operates from April through September with four planes. Program manager Walt Geiger monitors the weather from a radar station. When he sees a storm developing, one with “lots of strong vertical action” that could be a hail producer, Geiger notifies the pilots, who then head into the storms armed with canisters of silver iodide.

A 1998-1999 study of the Kansas program found that while there was a statistically significant reduction in hail that year, there was no evidence to support the program’s attempts to increase rainfall.

David Brenn, the program’s director, says he has seen the benefits of hail reduction efforts. He also says at least one insurance company has expressed interest in partnering with the program.

But Mike Standley, whose family has farmed in southwest Kansas for about a century, says he’s concerned that cloud seeding may be costing him some precious rain. It has been a long time since he has seen regular summer afternoon thunderstorms on his land, says Standley, 30.

Standley says he would like to see solid proof that cloud seeding works. With 14 to 19 inches of precipitation a year, he just can’t spare the moisture. “I can raise crops with hail,” he said. “But I can’t raise crops with no moisture.”

Storm Based Warnings

2007-09-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

Starting October 1st, the National Weather Service will begin to issue storm based warnings. A storm based warning is more accurate than a county wide warning. The primary use of the storm based warnings will be for severe weather including thunderstorms and tornadoes. Check out the information from the National Weather Service.

Storm Based Warning Information

Its about to get a lot colder

2007-09-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

From the NWSFO at Portland. Low snow levels.....chilly temps elsewhere !

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR
119 PM PDT TUE SEP 25 2007

ORZ011-013-WAZ019-262300-
NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES-CASCADES IN LANE COUNTY-
SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADES-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...GOVERNMENT CAMP...DETROIT...
SANTIAM PASS...MCKENZIE BRIDGE...OAKRIDGE...WILLAMETTE PASS...
COLDWATER RIDGE VISITORS CENTER...MOUNT ST. HELENS
119 PM PDT TUE SEP 25 2007

...SNOW LEVELS LOWERING CLOSE TO CASCADE PASS ELEVATIONS LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...

SNOW LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP TO NEAR THE ELEVATIONS OF THE
MAIN PASSES THROUGH THE SOUTH WASHINGTON AND NORTH AND CENTRAL
OREGON CASCADES LATE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. MUCH COOLER AIR
ASSOCIATED WITH AN EARLY FALL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SPREAD
ONSHORE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND DURING THE DAY FRIDAY. SOME LIGHT
SNOW ACCUMULATION IS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY FRIDAY NEAR THE PASSES...
WITH SEVERAL INCHES POSSIBLE AT THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE
CASCADES.

PEOPLE PLANNING ON HIKING...CAMPING...OR CLIMBING IN THE CASCADES
LATE THIS WEEK SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE COMING COLD WET WEATHER.

$$

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PORTLAND

Weather Radio Recalls

2007-09-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

The National Weather Service has the recall notice for some Oregon Scientific Weather Radios. Here is the info.

Weather Radio Recall

NWS Open House !

2007-09-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

Three of the Pacific Northwest N.W.S. offices are having open houses. Here are the links to office near you !

Portland: October 6th

Medford: September 29th

Spokane: October 6th

Seattle, Pendleton, and Boise don't have an open house scheduled at this time.

Cold Night in Southern Oregon

2007-09-21T00:28:00.000-07:00

This is from NWS Medford !

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR
1124 PM PDT THU SEP 20 2007

NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY AND WESTERN LAKE COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BEATTY...BLY...CHEMULT...CRESCENT...
GILCHRIST...SPRAGUE RIVER
1124 PM PDT THU SEP 20 2007

...HARD FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM PDT FRIDAY...

A HARD FREEZE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM PDT FRIDAY.

CLEAR SKIES AND A COLD AIR MASS WILL ALLOW LOW TEMPERATURES TO
FALL BELOW FREEZING LATE TONIGHT. COLDER LOCATIONS SUCH AS
CHEMULT...GILCHRIST...AND CRESCENT WILL SEE TEMPERATURES DROPPING
INTO THE LOWER 20S AROUND SUNRISE.

A HARD FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE
IMMINENT OR HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND
OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

Pacific Northwest Weather

2007-09-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome the Pac NW Weather Blog. Here you will find thoughts and tidbits from the guys that talk weather.

Enjoy !