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  "path": "/2026/05/substantial-precipitation-will-soon.html",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-10T22:51:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://cliffmass.blogspot.com",
  "textContent": "For those worried about Pacific Northwest drought, I have some news that should give them substantial comfort: **substantial rain and snow will return to the Pacific, accompanied by cool temperatures.**\n\nAnd not a hint of any heatwaves. In fact, much cooler temperatures are expected.\n\n**So get your rain jacket out of the closet, get ready to plant some seeds, and think about delaying that late-May hike.**\n\nLet's start with the best, the European Center model forecast for precipitation over the area (below).\n\nThe expected precipitation through Wednesday afternoon starts the wetting process:\n\n\n\n\nBy Sunday evening, all the mountains will be thoroughly moistened.\n\n\n\n\n\nBut there is more! By the morning of Monday, May 25, the totals are impressive, with some mountain locations exceeding 4 inches. Even rain in eastern Washington. This is serious precipitation.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nImportantly, temperatures will cool substantially over the next week, so there will be substantial **fresh snow** in the Cascades (below). Expect the % of normal snowpack to rise substantially from this late-season snow.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**So what is going on?**\n\n\n\n\nWith the change in season and the transition from La Niña to El Nino, the upper- level pattern has unlocked, and some strong troughs of low pressure will be moving into the Northwest.\n\n\n\n\nTo illustrate, below is the forecast upper-level map for Friday morning. An impressive trough of low pressure (blue colors) will build off our coast.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nA week later, ANOTHER strong trough is forecast....winter-like in intensity in a similar position.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOther modeling systems (like the NOAA GFS) are doing similar things.\n\n\n\n\nExtremely favorable and well-timed for Northwest agriculture and local water resources.\n\n\n\n\n\n",
  "title": "Substantial Precipitation Will Soon Return to the Pacific Northwest",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-10T22:51:07.230Z"
}