By Rod Hill on 2015-02-15
At the half way point, February has set a record high temperature, been above normal all but the first day of the month and is on a sizzling pace of 6 degrees warmer than the 30-year average! If the current pace of warm temperatures continues, we could be experiencing the warmest February on record for Portland.
The all-time February warm record was set back in 1991 with a mean temperature of 48.8 degrees, just more than 5 degrees above normal. With current forecast trends showing warm weather through the 23rd of the month, it seems likely that Feb. 2015 will at least finish as one of the top 5 warmest months.
The outlook map from the National Weather Service shows the Northwest in the bulls-eye of warm weather for the months of February, March and April. If true, snow levels would continue to be mostly above 5,000 or 6,000 feet, making a snowpack catch up on Mt. Hood unlikely. Outlooks through April also suggest normal or drier than normal rates of precipitation.
At the time of this posting, there are signs of significant mountain snow the last 4-5 days of this month, with snow levels below 4,000 feet.
Meteorologist Rod Hill
Boston equals Mt. Hood Meadows snow season!