With respect to human-induced climate change, meteorologists say it's challenging to nail down what part it is playing in the West Coast's peculiar winter season.īut increasingly extreme weather is expected as global temperatures rise. And last week, Portland saw abnormally high snowfall rates and recorded nearly 11 inches (28 centimeters) - the second snowiest day in the city’s history. “Not only were you getting significant snowfall in areas that already see snow, you were also seeing snowfall on lower elevations in Southern California, which is super rare,” said Feldkircher.įor example, the forecast on March 1 warned of snowfall for parts of Phoenix, which Feldkircher said is “super unusual” for this time of year. The current La Niña pattern does have an influence on global weather, but Maue said that is only one factor.īianca Feldkircher, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said a persistent blocking pattern over the Pacific Ocean plus cold air migrating south from the Arctic have created the conditions for widespread snowfall along the West Coast. Meteorologists say the explanation for the robust winter season is not so simple. “This rain and snow bucked the trend and it’s highly unexpected,” said Ryan Maue, a meteorologist and former NOAA chief scientist. Even Phoenix suburbs woke up on Thursday to a dusting of snow that covered cactuses and lush golf courses. At the airport in Flagstaff, Arizona, 11.6 feet have fallen this season, second only to the winter of 1948-49. Mountainous areas of California experienced nearly unprecedented snowfall accumulations - more than 40 feet since the start of the season. Portland, Oregon received nearly a foot of snow in a single day in what proved to be its second-snowiest day in history.
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