April 2023 is very cool in the Pacific Northwest.
In fact, the second most interesting is noted in many locations. The best among others.
Just looking at April temperatures in Seattle and Pasco versus the normal highs (purple line) and lows (cyan line) is enough to literally give you chills. Most days have a below-normal low, and only ONE day in April has a normal high in Seattle.
A graph of the temperature difference from normal over the past two weeks shows extreme cold (in blue, 6-9F below typical) for much of Oregon and Washington.
This is a historic cold. For example, in Olympia, this month’s average maximum is by far the COLDEST on record over 80 years! In Seattle, it was the second coldest (2011 was the coldest year).
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The bad news? We will have to endure a few more days in these cold conditions.
Good news? In about a week, a strong high pressure band will form over the area bringing MUCH warmer conditions…we’re talking about highs of about 70F in western Washington and near 80F in the Columbia Basin. Can you imagine this?
Below is the higher than forecast (500-hPa pressure) for 5pm Thursday. Mama mia, that’s a great high pressure peak!
Now consider the latest forecast from the National Weather Service’s National Mixed Modeling Complex for SeaTac (below). Low 70s on Fridays and Saturdays! Spring!
And if you can’t afford Palm Springs, drive to the Tri-Cities. Pasco will stay above 75F for at least a week and get very close to 80F. Perfect. This is not a bad time to explore the wineries of eastern Washington or enjoy the wildflowers of the country’s Rangeland.
