January 2024 Forecasts and Discussions

[wetcoast91]

Very interesting. I really want to figure this out. I don't think I've ever heard anyone tackle this on a pro level.

We know cold air sinks into fjords and valleys and it flows like water in overrunning setups. Pitt Lake and the valley north of Alvin stretches up to Garibaldi...and it gets very cold in this area. North Surrey and higher elevations of Coquitlam see the influence of this microclimate feature which causes a colder temp profile and some mechanism that causes heavier precip in these overrunning setups. Either terrain induced cold level damning with just 100-200m of elevation or something I don't understand

[Typeing3]

Very interesting. I really want to figure this out. I don't think I've ever heard anyone tackle this on a pro level.

I'll give it a go.

Upsloping at the micro level, just like you see on the east side of the Rockies. Outflow out of the Pitt River valley hits the hills south of the river in Guildford/Fraser Heights and in central Coquitlam. Orographic lift enhances precip, combined with the cool dry air from the outflow results in more significant evaporative cooling than surrounding areas.

Same reason why Como Lake hill in central Coquitlam always outperforms similar elevations on Westwood Plateau, and even sometimes areas that are 100m greater in elevation.

[Hound]

We know cold air sinks into fjords and valleys and it flows like water in overrunning setups. Pitt Lake and the valley north of Alvin stretches up to Garibaldi...and it gets very cold in this area. North Surrey and higher elevations of Coquitlam see the influence of this microclimate feature which causes a colder temp profile and some mechanism that causes heavier precip in these overrunning setups. Either terrain induced cold level damning with just 100-200m of elevation or something I don't understand

Great answer!
But why is Pitt Meadows warmer in this situation?

[Hound]

99% of the people I talk to only use Apple Weather and are baffled when I laugh and tell them about EC

Ya, they use their phones weather app which is serious wrong most of the time as it's computer gibberish.

[Hound]

Here's my 2 cents...main winds are coming east to west in those events, secondary wind coming down Pitt Lake (relatively warmer waterbody I'm guessing), creating a Venturi effect and a localized inversion??? I dunno...just throwing something out there?

Nice one!

[Hound]

I'll give it a go.

Upsloping at the micro level, just like you see on the east side of the Rockies. Outflow out of the Pitt River valley hits the hills south of the river in Guildford/Fraser Heights and in central Coquitlam. Orographic lift enhances precip, combined with the cool dry air from the outflow results in more significant evaporative cooling than surrounding areas.

Same reason why Como Lake hill in central Coquitlam always outperforms similar elevations on Westwood Plateau, and even sometimes areas that are 100m greater in elevation.

Niiiiiiiiiiiiice!
Between the 3 answers it kinda comes together!

[wetcoast91]

Best answer I've heard yet!
But why is Pitt Meadows warmer in this situation?

My guess is a downsloping component or frictional drag causes air at the lowest level (sub 50 meters) to warm up in these marginal setups.

[Hawk]

I think that even within this little micro climate, up top this little hill I’m on is absolutely killer. It just dumps. I think Hawk is the same. That also applies to rain as well.

Im near 210 and 80th at about 100m..Willoughby summit if you will. Upsloping from all sides

[John]

Snow is coming

[Hawk]

This was the best I could do..


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Nice maps! This map shows how all air flows down into Pitt Meadows from any direction..slightly warming and expanding = rain in marginal situations. Dont ever move there if you like snow!!

[John]

Nice maps! This map shows how all air flows down into Pitt Meadows from any direction..slightly warming and expanding = rain in marginal situations. Dont ever move there if you like snow!!

It’s a hole!

[Catnip]

Nice maps! This map shows how all air flows down into Pitt Meadows from any direction..slightly warming and expanding = rain in marginal situations. Dont ever move there if you like snow!!

Sh*t Meadows

[Hawk]

I'll give it a go.

Upsloping at the micro level, just like you see on the east side of the Rockies. Outflow out of the Pitt River valley hits the hills south of the river in Guildford/Fraser Heights and in central Coquitlam. Orographic lift enhances precip, combined with the cool dry air from the outflow results in more significant evaporative cooling than surrounding areas.

Same reason why Como Lake hill in central Coquitlam always outperforms similar elevations on Westwood Plateau, and even sometimes areas that are 100m greater in elevation.

Nice!

[AbbyJr]

Hmmm very conservative

Not only conservative, but the written snow totals don't match the shaded colours. For example, it says 3cm for Abbotsford but the city is actually in the 20cm shaded area. Not sure what to make of that map other than an accidental mistake?

[Radar]

Are these latest maps pushing the system further south and thereby decreasing out snow totals?