The unusual recent cold spell in Clark County also has an unusual origin.
Following record-breaking cold weather Sunday, the chilliness continued — albeit less severe — Monday. The weather system originated in the Yukon Territory of Northwest Canada, said Colby Neuman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Portland.
Storms from the Yukon are not unprecedented, but they aren’t common. Most storms this time of year come from the Gulf of Alaska or the Pacific Ocean, and the rarer Yukon storms typically appear in the wintertime, Neuman said.
“It was very unusual,” Neuman said. “For us to have a storm system this strong at this point in the year, we typically don’t see that.”
On Twitter, the weather service reported that Sunday was a record-breaking day for areas of Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon. For some locations, it was the coldest September day since 1948.
Vancouver’s high was 51 degrees, breaking the previous cool high record for Sept. 29 of 54 degrees set in 1971. The normal high temperature for the day is 71 degrees.
The city also tied its coolest high for any day in September. The 51-degree record was set in September 1919, according to the weather service.
It was a tad warmer Monday in Vancouver, which had an anticipated high of 60 degrees. However, the low for the night was predicted to be 37 degrees. Outlying valleys were expected to fall into the lower or mid 30s, according to the weather service.
The system was expected to move east from the area Monday, Neuman said. Residue from the weather pattern will linger, but less wind and cloud coverage — creating cooler air — was expected overnight into Tuesday.
Records are possible Monday and Tuesday but not likely, Neuman said. Record lows in Vancouver for Monday and Tuesday are 30 degrees and 31 degrees, respectively.
The weather service issued a frost advisory Monday morning for Clark County. The advisory listed the communities of Vancouver, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, Washougal, Yacolt and Amboy.
Frost was expected again this morning, Neuman said. Forecasters urged people to take precautions and protect their plants.
“Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered. Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold,” the advisory says.
The area’s first chance of rain comes Wednesday, with a slight chance of showers through Saturday. This time, the weather pattern is coming from the Gulf of Alaska.
“It’s sort of a similar path to most of the systems we’ve had this fall,” Neuman said.
