By JACINDA HOWARD, The Mirror
The sun has shown itself and the snow has disappeared, but cold temperatures could stick around.
Across Washington state, a bizarre flurry of white snowflakes and cold weather began March 26 and continued periodically through this past weekend. The temperatures have since slowly risen to highs in the mid-50s and lows in the 30s, but near-freezing temperatures could still await in the future, National Weather Service meteorologist Carl Cerniglia said.
The cold temperatures and last week’s wet snowfall were caused by below-average temperatures that could last another week or more, Cerniglia said.
“We have been running a colder than normal spring this year,” he said.
Usually, March temperatures in the western part of the state average a high of 55 degrees, Cerniglia said. The average March temperature this year measured approximately two degrees colder than the region’s 30-year average for that month, Cerniglia said. This may not seem like a lot, but the temperature difference is what led to the winter-like snowfall.
“We just have a very very cold weather system moving over the Pacific Northwest,” Cerniglia said on March 28.
Local residents were glad to see spring weather return Monday, but they were eager to greet warmer temperatures. Bruce Kannenberg of Federal Way said he is not phased by the cold, but is happy to see the sun return. Regardless of the weather, Kannenberg said he and his two dogs will enjoy their early-morning walks.
Kent resident Greg Mallory said he and his two children performed yardwork while it hailed last week. The youngsters enjoyed the unusual weather, he said. Mallory was not as excited about it.
“Any sunshine is better than snow or rain,” he said. “I’d prefer 75 degrees, but we live in Seattle, so what are we going to do?”
Federal Way resident Chris Rubio was taken aback by the snow and chilling temperatures. Rubio and his family returned from Peru, where they spent a couple of months in the 80- to 90-degree temperatures, two weeks before snow came to Federal Way.
“It was a little bit shocking,” Rubio said.
The shocking conditions were the result of a geographic phenomena called La Nina, Cerniglia said.
Generally, Pacific Ocean surface water temperatures near the South American country of Chile and off the coast of southeast Asia, near Indonesia, are cooler than normal during a La Nina occurrence, according to a National Weather Service Web page titled “What are La Niña, El Niño and Normal Conditions in the Pacific Ocean?”
Weather conditions in the United States are altered by the colder than usual waters. La Nina brings warmer winters to the southeast part of the county and colder winters to the northwest, according to the Web site. Though scientists are experts at predicting how La Nina affects climate change, they have yet to determine what causes the shift in water temperatures, Cerniglia said.
Contact Jacinda Howard: jhoward@fedwaymirror.com or (253) 925-5565.
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Through the weekend:
Wednesday: Sunny with a high near 52 degrees, winds between 5 and 9 miles per hour and a nightly low of 36 degrees
Thursday: Mostly sunny with a high near 55 degrees and a nightly low around 37 degrees
Friday: Partly sunny with a high near 55 degrees and a nightly low around 39
Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a high near 55 degrees and a chance of rain and clouds with a low of 39 degrees come nightfall.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and a high near 54 degrees with a nightly low of 39 degrees
Monday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and a high near 54.
This National Weather Service forecast was found at www.wrh.noaa.gov. All temperatures are measured in Fahrenheit.
