Just about all the cities in the Northwest have endured a stretch of abnormally cold weather. Now an updated three-month climate outlook suggests the past could be prologue.
The latest computer model run by the National Climate Prediction Center increases the likelihood for below normal temperatures during the next three months in most of our region. This applies to all of Washington, nearly all of Oregon and the northern half of Idaho.
Washington State Climatologist Nick Bond says to get used to "chilly."
"We're anticipating perhaps a little bit more of the pattern that we've had for much of this past month, with cooler than normal temperatures."
Bond figures moisture could periodically slip in around the edges of a recurring ridge of high pressure.
The National Climate Prediction Center has a precipitation outlook to go along with its temperature outlook. That forecast calls for normal rainfall chances for the whole region through the winter.
On the Web:
Interactive temperature outlook map (National Weather Service)
Climate Outlook: What's Next for the Pacific NW? (Office of the Washington State Climatologist)