You’re not dreaming. It’s really February and this last week has felt like anything but winter. Max temperature records were tied and shattered across the state Friday. We’re likely to experience a repeat of warm and windy again today. Winds from the east will be gusty again and temperatures will range anywhere from the upper 50’s to the mid to upper 60’s.
Portland smashed its daily max temp record Friday. The new record is 67°. Old record was 62° (1971). High pressure and easterly winds helped warm us up on the lee side of the Cascades and Coast Range (adiabatic heating). Multiple locations experienced record warmth Friday. Take a look at these record event reports from the National Weather Service.
Record temperature reports
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=pqr&issuedby=PQR&product=RER
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=pdt&issuedby=PDT&product=RER
Easterly winds will spread out to the coast bringing temps well above normal today. Sunday remains warm-ish but may not be record breaking as wind direction will change and clouds will be increasing ahead of the next front.
Next chance for rain won’t happen until Monday, Valentine’s Day.
Drought update
Snow drought explained
Well above-normal snow water equivalent (SWE) at the start of 2022 provided a buffer to mitigate the extreme dry spell over the past month—caused by a persistent ridge of high pressure off the West Coast—and avoid a rapid plunge into a snow drought across most of the region.
The West as a whole is trending towards snow drought conditions with below-normal SWE at 62% of the SNOTEL sites on February 8 compared to 21% on January 10.
The forecast includes a continued dry spell and above-normal temperatures. Along with increasing late winter sun angles, these conditions will work against snowpack accumulation.
https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/snow-drought-current-conditions-and-impacts-west-6
