[weatherman]

Not only is the Cascade Mountain snowpack increasing as we move into the 21st century, but our Puget Sound climate is also showing signs of cooling. 10-year annual mean temperatures: ------------ Olympia SeaTac 1989-1998 50.7 53.0 1999-2008 50.1 52.2 Difference -0.6 -0.8

[Backpacker Joe]

DOH! The GW fanatics aren't going to like that Weaths.

[Tom]

Weatherman, is this a strawman or are you responding to a specific claim that's been made about the Puget Sound climate?

[Scrooge]

Again.

[weatherman]

[Stones]

[kleet]

Perhaps that's why he did not choose the username climateman.

[Tom]

Snowpack is quite a bit below normal in the cascades this winter so I suppose other myths need to be exposed. I can't help but think back to 2005 when we also had minimal winter snowfall and by mid-summer the glaciers were looking pretty sad. I remember rafting Berdeen in early August that year and the lake was warm to the touch. I wouldn't be surprised if we have another banner hiking summer this year despite the "cooling" decade we are in.

[Recon]

[Mtn Dog]

Tom: I agree with you too. We had some major precip in Dec. but were way below average for Jan and Feb, finally waiting until the first of March to get some meaningful rain again. I'm also thinking something similar for this summer, a dry and long hiking season with snowpacks melting relatively early. Comparing decadal trends that include 1998 at either end are statistically skewed and don't tell the whole story. 1998 was an El Nino year and was unusually warm as a result, especially in the Northwest. So it's not inaccurate to say we haven't been warming since, it was an extremely warm year to begin with! This is like saying my Escape Hybrid gets 36 MPG when the only time I checked the scangauge was when I drove home from Chinook Pass in summer warmth with a tailwind the whole way (30-31 MPG would be more realistic).

[weatherman]

While the data shows 2008 was the 2nd coldest out of the past 20 years at SeaTac, 1998 was not far out of line with the 20-year trend, being the 7th warmest out of the past 20 years. These are water years, 1998 is Oct 1997-Sept 1998.

[Mtn Dog]

Thank you for the additional details, Weatherman. Your chart shows annual temps at SeaTac only. 1998 was a much warmer year across the US. NOAA In fact, 1998 nearly rivals the high temps of the century that occurred during the 1930's. I wonder why El Nino didn't have quite the same effect here? If the station is at the airport and are they adequately taking into consideration the heat island effect?

[Scrooge]

Mtn Dog said

[Layback]

Isn't it interesting how he chose just Seatac and Olympia? I would think that a scientific analysis with a p value aimed at making it scientifically accurate beyond "just chance" would use more data points. Obviously this is a weak attempt to massage data in a favorable way toward one's cause. Weatherman - when you were a little kid did you dream of being a good scientist or a fraudulent one? Pathetic...

[peltoms]

What a sharp audience, if I am a nutria in the Skagit delta I do not care about Olympia or Seattle temps. The temps around Anacortes, Mount Vernon have been pretty steadily warm for the last two decades. Further the climate has continued to be mild except for 2008, they did not say warming further. The graphs weatherman has suggested we look at show this well for the area. Note the last dot is not quite correct as it is not 2008 complete data.

. I am concerned with the low snowpack this late in the winter of course. We often have cool-wet periods in the spring, but look at the snow water equivalent deficits, they are 15 inches at Stevens, 18 inches at Rainy and 21 inches at Lyman, it will not be that much wetter. It does not remind me of 2005 but it is spot on at several sites including Stevens pass for 2003

Also remember in that last decade noted we start with a la nina in 1999 and end with one in 2008, but no excuses, it stayed warm versus getting warmer.