Pacific Northwest Continues for Cold and Wet Weather

Posted: April 18, 2023 9:30 am

Residents of the Pacific Northwest are starting to wonder if spring will ever arrive. Another several days of unsettled conditions across the region is bringing unseasonably cold temperatures and more wet weather.

Here is what you can expect in the coming days if you live in this corner of the country.

Wetter Than Average April for the Northwest

It still feels more like the tail end of winter than well into spring for the Northwest. While the area is accustomed to seeing significant precipitation in April, the totals thus far have far surpassed the usual amounts seen by this point in the month.

For instance, Seattle recorded 147% of its historical average of rain in April by the 16th.

In addition to the persistently wet weather, it has also been much cooler than what is typical for this time of the year. The immense cloud cover has suppressed the mercury and left residents longing for the warmth of the season.

Unfortunately for those weary of the cool and wet weather, the dreary pattern is forecast to hang on for the next few days. In fact, some areas may see record low temperatures fall as the clouds and rain refuse to budge.

The mercury will struggle to hit the 50-degree threshold in Seattle, Portland, and up and down this part of the Interstate 5 corridor. You can expect these readings in the upper 40s to remain in place through Thursday. These temperatures will be at least 10 degrees below the average for this time of April.

Cooler Readings for the Coastal Areas

It will be even chillier as you move closer to the coast in Washington and Oregon. This burst of cold air will eventually expand southward into coastal Northern California. Ocean Shores, Washington is forecast to see a high of just 48 degrees on Wednesday with the overnight low dropping down to about 40 degrees.

Moving southward along the Pacific Coast Highway, high temperatures will also hover in the upper 40s in places such as Cannon Beach, Oregon. Lows will likely dip below the 40-degree mark on Wednesday night in this popular coastal town.

The temperature may barely crack 50 degrees in Crescent City, California. The presence of steady rain on Tuesday and Wednesday will contribute to the dreary vibe in this town just south of the border of Oregon.

Snow in the Forecast for the Higher Elevations

The temperatures will plummet enough in the higher elevations of the region to support the formation of snow. This snow will be in the forecast through Wednesday night.

Motorists heading out over some of the area’s mountain passes may face dicey travel conditions as multiple rounds of snow hit the Cascade Mountains. This includes travel across Stevens Pass and Snoqualmie Pass in Washington.

The snow will eventually track east of the Cascades, impacting the higher terrains of the Blue Mountains in northeastern Oregon as well as the northern tier of the Rocky Mountains.

Lower elevations of the Northwest can expect to see rain out of this weather maker. Do not rule out the possibility of thunderstorms as the unsettled conditions remain in place. Gusty winds are another hazard of this particular storm system.

An area of high pressure is forecast to begin to build across the West Coast by the end of the week. This will bring warmer temperatures readings to the region just in time for the weekend.

However, forecasters are warning that the extended forecast will likely call for more wet weather and cooler than average temperatures into early Mary.

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