Mild and dry today, cloudy and cooler Sunday
Today will be mostly sunny and dry with the mercury in the thermometer rising into the upper 50s and low 60s. The ridge takes control as it builds into the PNW, providing the warmth and the sunshine. A large area of low pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere is spinning well off the coast but may give us some cloud cover Sunday.
The low in the Pacific is forecast to migrate toward the Gulf of Alaska and drag a line of cloud cover across the coast Sunday. Before sunrise there may be a chance for some mountain snow, but once the front passes of the east face of the Cascades, it will be moisture starved, so not much rain. This will give us a cooler day, but still in the 50s, and a slight chance for a rogue shower to cross Central Oregon. For the most part this feature will not impact us much, other than the clouds and slightly cooler conditions.
Groundhog Day is Monday and we should see a partly to mostly cloudy day with highs near 50 which is just slightly cooler than Sunday. Some models suggest some rain to arrive on Monday morning while others do not. I believe we will stay dry.
Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be dry and mild with highs in the middle 50s.
The dry pattern will linger through the rest of the week as the ridge keeps the region quiet with highs in the middle 50s.
As for Groundhog Day, remember, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, he gets frightened and scurries back into his burrow. That means we are expected to see six more weeks of winter. If he comes out on a cloudy day and stays out for a spell, and does not see his shadow, we are expected to get an early spring.
The Vernal Equinox, the first day of the Astronomical Spring, is on March 20th this year at 7:46 am.
