It is beginning to feel like winter, isn’t it? In fact, Dec. 1 was the onset of the meteorological winter which consists of December, January and February. Our low overnight temperatures are an example of that.
Our first official low in the 20s this season was on the last day of November, when Vancouver dipped to 29 degrees. That was the coldest overnight low since March 7, when it was 26 degrees. On the first day of December, we recorded a low of 27 degrees. And early Monday morning, Vancouver dipped to 24 degrees, the coldest since another 24 degrees on March 6 of this year. Many of our colder locations were closer to 20 degrees.
A quick look back at November revealed that Vancouver had 6.63 inches of rain, 1.12 inches above average. Last year, Vancouver had 5.01 inches, about a half-inch below average. We were slightly less than 1 degree above normal with the average mean temperature and the highest temperature was 61 degrees on Nov. 7 and the lowest 29 degrees, as I mentioned on Nov. 30.
Fog and low clouds were stubborn to clear off last week leading to Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Finally, a cold pool of air developed enough in the Columbian Basin to build a strong high pressure air mass and delivered easterly winds through the Gorge. That presented us with clear skies. Of course, clear skies this time of the year generally mean cold temperatures. Sunny days help but the sun angle is low, and we struggle to reach the average high for the date which is now 48 degrees.
