WeatherDiscussionApril 1, 2008

COLD is the big story

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTNATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA455 PM PDT MON MAR 31 2008

..RECORD COLD FOR THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH AT SEATTLE ANDOLYMPIA…THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH AT SEATTLE AND OLYMPIA WERE THE COLDEST ON

RECORD.AT SEATTLE TACOMA AIRPORT THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE LAST SEVEN DAYS WAS 46.0 DEGREES. THE

PREVIOUS RECORD FOR THE COLDESTAVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH WAS 47.1DEGREES SET IN 1967. THE RECORDS AT SEATTLE TACOMA AIRPORT BEGAN IN1945. INCLUDING THE RECORDS FROM THE FEDERAL BUILDING IN DOWNTOWNSEATTLE...WHICH GO BACK TO 1891...THIS IS THE THIRD COLDEST LASTWEEK OF MARCH FOR THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE. THE TWO COLDER YEARS WERE 1936 WITH AN AVERAGE HIGH

TEMPERATURE OF 43.6 AND 1917 WITH AN AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 45.9 DEGREES.THE NORMAL AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH ATSEATTLE TACOMA AIRPORT IS 54.9 DEGREES.

AT THE OLYMPIA AIRPORT THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE LASTSEVEN DAYS WAS 45.4 DEGREES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD FOR THE COLDESTAVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH WAS 48.0DEGREES SET IN 1999. THE RECORDS AT THE OLYMPIA AIRPORT GO BACK TO1948.THE NORMAL AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE LAST WEEK OF MARCH ATTHE OLYMPIA AIRPORT IS 54.9 DEGREES.

More Cold• Eureka CA recorded their coldest 31 March temperature in over 100 years:• A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 30 DEGREES WAS SET AT EUREKA• YESTERDAY...MARCH 31. THIS BREAKS THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 31 SET IN• 1896.• • Record cold is being recorded as far south as central California:• ...RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE SET AT STOCKTON AIRPORT THIS MORNING...• A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE OF 34 DEGREES WAS SET AT THE STOCKTON• AIRPORT THIS MORNING. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 35...SET IN 1977.

Problems East of the Cascades

Early Spring is the Coldest Time Aloft

SEATAC (1957-1967) 500 700 850

December -22.1 -6.6 1.0

January -23.8 -8.1 -.3

February -24.7 -8.8 -.2

March -26.5 -10.1 -1.3

April -23.9 -8.0 0.5

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New Snotel Site

• http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/gis/snow.html

Improved Drought Situation