What a difference 138 years can make in Washington weather
Jan 9, 2018, 12:11 PM | Updated: 12:18 pm
The National Weather Service recently posted a photo of Seattle’s Cherry Street, blanketed with snow which began falling on Jan. 10, 1880. More than 5 feet of snow would be the result after a week of snowflakes falling on Seattle.
On this date in 1880, snow began falling in Seattle and would continue for much of the next week. When it was over, more than 5 feet of snow was recorded. This was the view looking east on Cherry St. on Jan. 10th, 1880. MOHAI photo collection image #1983.10.6267 #wawx pic.twitter.com/GjeuzGIszg
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) January 5, 2018
Compare that to today, where the snowpack in Washington is as low as approximately 75 percent of normal.
University of Washington Professor of Atmospheric Science Cliff Mass writes that snow levels on the western side of the Cascades are higher than years past. He does so with three photos, here, here, and here.
Though temperatures are about normal and precipitation is above normal, Mass points out we “just haven’t gotten the right weather setups for snow…”
But don’t fret. Mass writes that we are in a La Nina winter, which typically means more snow later in the season.
