HOW LOW CAN WE GO?

When much of the Midwest and the American Rockies are covered by an Arctic airmass, those of us in Southwest Washington state usually escape the worst of the cold being somewhat protected by the Cascade mountain range which separates the eastern and western sides of Washington and Oregon. The super cold usually finds only one way through these mountains - the Columbia River Gorge.

Because the gorge constricts the cold air as it flows west, the windspeed increases, and the air is warmed as it travels. Where it dumps out of the gorge into the east Portland/Vancouver metroplex the windchill factors are pretty severe and always a staple on the local newscasts, but the rest of the area is spared the worst of the wind.

The current Arctic blast, however, is setting new records for being the coldest and longest sustained FREEZE for decades. Part of this is because the airmass this time was so huge and cold and driven so strongly that it pushed over the mountain ranges, filled the western valleys, dived on over the coastal mountain ranges and descended on the beach towns of the Pacific Coast.

Over the past few days our temperatures have dropped steadily: mid-30s, high 20s, 24, 20, 14, 11, and this morning's low of 7 degrees. Mid-day yesterday was the first day this week that the thermometer read at 32 degrees. The sky has been mostly clear and without a cloud cover, there has been nothing to hold what little heat the December sun offers.

We have kept the wood stove going and it has been hungry. I'm really ready for some mild t-shirt days in the 40s or even low 50s. Some rain would be welcome too since we have been dry for over two weeks now. I tried to think of a witty crack about global warming, but I can't seem to find any warmth for it at the moment.

[BTW - Betty's wrist seems to be healing nicely. Now if I can just keep her away from the woodstove until her blisters heal.]