SEATTLE — It’s been a relatively bleak start to the snowpack this season, with the snow level fluctuating, then rising again, causing much of the new snow to melt away.
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What should we plan on in the mountains and the lowlands for the darkest months of the year?
According to the Climate Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we can expect a 40 to 50 percent chance of above-normal precipitation through the second week of December.
Unfortunately, we also have a 33 to 40 percent chance of above normal temperatures in the same time frame. That will not help our effort to boost the snowpack in the Cascades.
Looking farther out, the seasonal outlook from NOAA calls for equal chances of above or below normal rain and snow for western Washington in December, January, and February.
What could help bring more snow to the mountains, the seasonal outlook for temperatures has a 33 to 40 percent chance of below normal temperatures over the next three months.
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So there is still a chance of a decent ski season; we just need to see the flakes start falling soon.
