Snowed in

The Portland area is still being dumped on...with no end in sight.

Well - I'm sure there is an end, but I really wished I had bought a shovel two weeks ago... We could chain up the Explorer and drive to True Value of Home Depot...but if they are open, I'm sure there are no shovels left in stock.

No shovel here!

Arctic Blast 2008

You want photos? We've got your photos right here.

The Pacific Northwest has been having some cold weather this week - and the moisture came along for the party, too. So - five snow days started the winter break early this year.

We've had fun in the snow - enjoy the show!

Here is the link to the Picasa Web Album to see them in their full glory.

You want to see the cars on the hill? Click here for tips on what not to do in Portland snow events.

White Christmas....not looking good

We've been having a week of cold and snow here in Portland.  I haven't gotten a blog post about it as it happens - but I'm sure I'll get some photos and commentary up soon.  Also - we went to Hood River last weekend to ride The Polar Express.  Gotta get that adventure posted, too!

In the mean time - the Tigard-Tualatin School District now has five snow days in the bag.  How do you like that?  Now comes two weeks of winter break.  Gotta love being a kid when weather like this happens!

Anyway, as we are in the midst of this 'Arctic Blast' - as the TV stations keep saying ( KGW - KOIN - KATU - KPTV ) - I looked ahead to Christmas at the Pacifc Northwest NWS forecast website.  The graphic below (click on it for the full version) shows Dec 24-25th.  The snow we have on the ground right now just might not hold up to this much rain...though this coming weekend is looking to be the worst weather we have experienced this week.

White Christmas?  Maybe Not!

 

Real Winter temperatures on the way

The Pacific NW will be having winter temperatures this coming weekend (12/12/08-12/14/08) and into next week.  This cold airmass had been seen in the forecasting models for at least a week - and it still looks like the models are holding up.  The snow possibilities are looking iffy - getting the moisture and the cold at the same time here is always difficult.  Usually though, cold comes in with a dry airmass.  Getting a storm like the 1991 Halloween Blizzard is not very likely around here.

We'll see what happens.  Sunday looks like the best chance of snow down in the Willamette Valley.  That's when the cold and moisture have the best chance of meeting up for a dance.

Cold forecast from The Oregonian website

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OR

443 AM PST THU DEC 11 2008

ORZ005>009-014-WAZ023-039-112300- LOWER COLUMBIA-GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA- CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY- WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY- GREATER VANCOUVER AREA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ST. HELENS...CLATSKANIE...HILLSBORO..PORTLAND...OREGON CITY...GRESHAM...SALEM...MCMINNVILLE...DALLAS..EUGENE...CORVALLIS...ALBANY...HOOD RIVER...CASCADE LOCKS..MULTNOMAH FALLS...PARKDALE...ODELL...STEVENSON...SKAMANIA..VANCOUVER...BATTLE GROUND...WASHOUGAL 443 AM PST THU DEC 11 2008

A STRONG COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON WILL USHER IN THE COLDEST AIR MASS SO FAR THIS SEASON...THEN A SECOND COLD FRONT...WITH ARCTIC ORIGINS...IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD EVEN COLDER AIR IN FROM THE NORTH SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT.

LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY WILL FALL TO 15 TO 20 BY SUNDAY AND MONDAY NIGHTS...WITH HIGHS NEAR FREEZING SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. EVEN COLDER TEMPERATURES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY AND COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE...WITH LOWS AS LOW AS 10 TO 25. ..AND DAYTIME HIGHS JUST 15 TO 25.

THE COLD AIR MASS WILL ALSO BRING A CHANCE FOR LOW ELEVATION SNOW SHOWERS. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT THE FLOW WILL REMAIN ONSHORE. THIS WILL KEEP THE LOWEST ELEVATIONS ON THE VALLEY FLOOR AND THE MAIN CITY CENTERS FROM GETTING ANY SNOW ACCUMULATION. SNOW WILL MIX WITH THE RAIN AT TIMES AND COULD BRIEFLY CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BUT NO ACCUMULATIONS IS EXPECTED. HOWEVER IN AREAS ABOVE 700 TO 800 FEET THE PRECIPITATION WILL BE MAINLY IN THE FORM OF SNOW. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IS LIKELY IN THESE AREAS ABOVE 700 FEET THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT.

ON SUNDAY ANOTHER STORM AHEAD OF THE ARCTIC FRONT WILL DROP SOUTH ALONG THE COAST. THE STRENGTH AND MOISTURE AVAILABILITY IS STILL UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER IF THIS TRACK HOLDS THERE WILL BE A VERY GOOD THREAT OF STICKING SNOW TO THE VALLEY FLOORS. THE SNOW THREAT WILL CONTINUE INTO SUNDAY EVENING BEFORE THE SNOW TURNS TO FLURRIES OVERNIGHT.

Tour de Cure 2009

The registration website for the Portland area 2009 Tour de Cure event is live. The event this year will not be called Summit to Surf - because it is not being held up on Mt. Hood and in Hood River. This year, the event is being held in Hillsboro - with the start and ending all taking place at the Hillsboro Stadium. There are 10 mile, 27 mile, 63 mile, and 100 mile rides.

We had a great time last year, and got some cool photos of Tegan and me. The local ADA person liked them so much - we are featured on the website for the Portland event. Check us out!

Team Tegan 2008

We've already signed up our family and got Team Tegan and her Daddy in the starting blocks. (do they call the starting line for bike races 'the starting blocks'?) Check out our progress at Team Tegan and her Daddy.

Tegan and Brian - Red Riders 2009

Tegan and Brian - Red Riders 2009

You can check out our individual fundraising pages here...visit them often. Or at least once...with your credit card handy. :)

Brian

Mick

Tegan

Connor