For those interested in the details, there is apparently a
significant Madden/Julian Oscillation (MJO) wave passing around the
world to which much of our less than typical weather can be
attributed:

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/MJO/mjo.shtml

MJO waves begin as areas of convection in the Indian Ocean, and then
propagate eastward around the world. A winter signature wave can
cause extreme cold in the center of North America, followed by heavy
rain systems hitting the west coast of North America.

As Bill notes, these climate waves are not at all unusual at least
once in the winter--we have a name for them--Pineapple Express. The
amplitude of the current one however is remarkable.

--
Jerry Tangren
East Wenatchee, WA


>Historically we have always had a week of warm weather in late
>January-early February. When I was a student at WSU in the late
>60's-early 70's, a mid-winter Chinook always rolled on shedule to
>ruin skiing over semester break. Bill Anderson; Edmonds, WA.
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