The first 8 days of May have racked up a rain surplus of .86" with total rainfall of 1.49" which is well on the way to surpassing the monthly average of 2.51" at PDX. Temperatures through the first week of the month are averaging 2-3 degrees below normal. Mother's Day alone saw a high temperature 15 degrees below normal with a high of only 53 degrees. Combined weather model outlooks show good confidence of a cooler and wetter than normal weather pattern lasting through at least June 20th.
Outdoor Memorial Day Weekend plans may be in Jeopardy with a cold upper low tracking the back half of the holiday and into the 1st of June. The European model below shows the cold low along the Northwest coast on May 31st. This pattern of "winter like" cold lows dropping down from the north is exactly what we saw in April and so far this month of May. What forecasters call upper pressure heights in the 40s is typical for January but highly unusual for May. The resulting cold air aloft is leading to hefty rain totals and high temps in the 50s, which are close to record cold-high temps for this time of year.
