Sledding Snow
Remember January when there was snow, freezing rain, and massive power outages? Those days are over, for now. (MyNorthwest.com reader submitted photo)

La Nina is over, but is there reason to celebrate?

BY MyNorthwest.com  on May 3, 2012 @ 1:43 pm (Updated: 9:01 pm - 5/3/12 )

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The La Nina weather phenomenon is over, but if you've stared out the window at all in the past 24 hours, you may be wondering how and if that applies to you.

The National Weather Service pronounced the two- year La Nina finished on Thursday, but we in the great Pacific Northwest need to know what exactly that means. After all, hasn't it seemed like the worshippers of Seattle summers have been dealt a tough couple of years?

"In terms of La Nina or El Nino cycle, it means we're in a neutral pattern and that means by itself it's not presenting really any tendency for above average temperatures or precipitation or below average temperatures or precipitation," explained KING-5 Meteorologist Jeff Renner.

In other words, we'll have a normal summer to look forward to, but what is normal?

Ted Buehner, with the National Weather Service in Seattle, was kind enough to list off our typical temps and rainfall statistics:

"We have over 80 days of 70 degrees or better, we have 23 days of 80 or better, we have three days of 90 or better."

As for rain, Buehner said we usually get less than an inch of rain in July and August, and June and September are around an inch and a half.

Well guess what Ted, we never even officially hit 90 degrees last summer, according to the NWS charts! In 2010, we reached 90 six times.

We don't blame Buehner or Renner, and it might just be people in the Northwest are hungry for sun because we were spoiled in 2009. Remember that summer? Buehner reminded us.

"On July 29, we had that all time record high of 103. (We had an) average high of 81 that month. It wasn't a record breaker, but it was one of our warmest summers since 1967."

Not only that, but it was 87 degrees on Independence Day.

Before you get your flip flops out the closet, let's not forget that there's still a base of 89" of snow at the Summit at Snoqualmie, 108" at Stevens Pass, and 92" at Crystal. It is only the first week in May.

Instead, congratulate yourself on surviving La Nina 2011- 2012 where we had a very rare, as Buehner said, long period of freezing rain in January, a snow storm, and major power outages. And then hold out hope for a dry, sunny Fourth of July because we deserve it.

MyNorthwest.com, Staff report
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Comments (14)


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  • Keitho wrote...
    Ya, we'll see
    May 3, 2012 4:00 pm
    If they had a clue what they were saying, I would believe it. As it is they have trouble predicting weather for the week around here and we have the most boring/stable climate in the country.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    So what happened to Global warming?
    May 3, 2012 4:02 pm
    The man made kind of course!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Not - La Nina is a wives tale told to stupid people to sell weather forcasts.
    May 3, 2012 6:25 pm
    The idea of La-Nina, is based on ocean surface temps. The phenomenon is filled with holes and is really just a theory. The pretense is based on surface temp readings over the last three decades. Sometimes its hotter by a few degrees and sometimes its cooler. Those parts are real. The problem is actually related to upper atmospheric issues that effect ocean surface temps. Gasses that hold reflected sunlight in and particulate matter that blocks sunlight like dust from entering. Science believes it has found a trend, but the trend is a farce.n On this coast, our weather is determined by where the jet stream is at any given moment. The jet stream moves depending on the surface temps and blockers like hurricanes and high pressure systems on the east coast. It is the deciding factor that mandates when AZ will get rain, when Seattle will become dry and if CA will have record snow packs. La Nina is never over, ever. Its just at a different extreme. As I predicted more than a year ago, and so far I am 100% right. this year will be full of rain because of the Greenland volcanic eruptions that spewed so much sun blocking dust into he air that this last winter, this summer and next winter, is gonna suck! Its all about understanding patterns.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mike in Pioneer Square wrote...
    Wow, Really?
    May 3, 2012 8:33 pm
    Wow. These comments are further proof that KIRO listeners are COMPLETE nut jobs.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    80% RWNJ's
    May 3, 2012 9:07 pm
    LOL
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • MainEvent wrote...
    Funny.....
    May 4, 2012 5:55 am
    How anytime a story on weather or global warming comes up, everyone is suddenly an expert meteorologist, as if they spent years in college studying weather patterns. Leave it to the experts, predicting weather is a science, trust in that fact. If its not exactly 100% accurate, its close enough.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cbrew wrote...
    MainEvent - you're not serious are you?
    May 4, 2012 11:36 am
    The term "expert Meteorologist" is an oxymoron. It's not even close to accurate... if you've lived in Washington any amount of time you should know that... Basically the weathermen around here predict rain 70% of the time and that makes them fairly accurate... but i can step outside look at the clouds and come to the same conclusion... there's no science to this... the only thing they do that your average person can't... is look on a radar at clouds coming in from the ocean and decide when it is going to make it here based on it's speed... HOLY CRAP THAT'S INCREDIBLE SCIENCE... you're an idiot MainEvent if you really put stock in local Meteorologists.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • HikerACE wrote...
    I was born here.
    May 4, 2012 6:47 am
    In my 55 years I have learned to expect rain and be happy when it doesn't. That's the only forecast I need.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Skykomish2 wrote...
    HikerACE
    May 4, 2012 10:34 am
    You are so on the money. We have the best climate - no hurricanes, little snow, no extreme heat - perfect for the trails. A true northwestern hiker dresses for the day, but carries for weather changes. Its our unpredictable climate that makes the northwest beauty. Its time for the snivellers and the whiners to pack up and go - we don't need you.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Cbrew wrote...
    HikerACE and Skykomish you're darn right
    May 4, 2012 11:39 am
    This is the best Climate in the country... Our climate is always catching flack from idiots across the country... Especially Californians.. every time i hear one complain about the weather i want to slap them across the face and say... WELL WHY DID YOU COME HERE!!!!!???? WE DIDN'T WANT YOU HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE GO BACK TO LOS SMOGLAND!!! ... Unfortunately, like salmon returning to the rivers to spawn... there appears to be some astronomical calling to these cali idiots that brings them here... Seriously, this state is beautiful... i love it... but i hate how many people have moved here over the past 20 years... wish they could make a law to make everyone that moved here in the past 20 years GO THE !@#$ BACK!!!! i'd support it.
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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    You guys are right about the climate. It's almost always mellow.
    May 4, 2012 12:15 pm
    Trouble is there is just way too much rain for me when it should be dry and warm and I have lived here all my life.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Nickatnyt wrote...
    Easy choice here.
    May 4, 2012 12:57 pm
    Like a mellow, moist climate? Live west of the Cascades. Like a drier and more sunny climate with actual change in seasons? Live east of the Cascades. And yes, La Nina (and her big brother El Nino) have little effect on our overall seasonal climates in WA when compared to other weather affecting issues as already mentioned here. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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