Weather with Cliff Mass

This podcast describes the warm weather ahead and tell you about the inner workings of Northwest heatwaves.

Yellowstone Park and its vicinity experienced record-breaking flooding last week and this podcast will tell you why it happened.  And I also provide the weekend forecast and a look into next week.  We will start with showers and then "enjoy" a bad case of June gloom.

Why do planes sometimes bounce around in the air?  What are the causes of the turbulence you experience while flying?  In this podcast, I will explain the several causes of these sometimes unpleasant motions.

It is clear to anyone living here for long that thunderstorms and convective showers prefer the high terrain of our region.  Why?  I will answer the question in this podcast.  And I will give you the soggy forecast, with a month's worth of rain, falling during one week!

This weekend is going to be a mixed bag weatherwise, with both rain and sun.   I will tell you when and where you can escape the murk.   How ofter is Memorial Day weekend sunny and warm in western Washington?  What is the long-term trend in the weekend's weather?   All will be revealed in the second part of my podcast!

This podcast starts with the forecast, which promises sunny, warm weather over the lowlands of both sides of the Cascades.  Showers in the mountains, though.  And then I take on the hype and exaggeration regarding eastern Washington drought, describing the favorable conditions for water supplies in that region.

There are variations in temperatures near the surface and just underground that are both interesting and valuable to know about....in fact, a little knowledge can save your life.  I will explain in my podcast.  And then there is the forecast, which projects a continuation of our dismal spring weather.  Against my will, I give you the details.

It is looking likely that an unusual triple-dip La Nina is in store:  three La Nina years in row.  I will explain about this phenomenon and discuss the implications.  I will also talk about the weekend forecast and the outlook for the next week.    Spoiler:  you won't need your sunglasses. 

Knowing the difference between surface air temperature, found on your smartphone or reported on TV, and the temperatures of the ground can save your life.   I will explain in the podcast.  I also supply the weekend forecast, with lots of rain, but with one day that will be dry and relatively warm.

I am often asked why the Northwest has so little lightning.....so I thought I would answer the question in this podcast.  And, of course, I provide the latest forecast...which is quite favorable for this weekend...so get ready for outdoor fun.

I have been asked many times about my view on climate change, so I thought it might be useful to summarize my thoughts in this podcast.   And I also discuss the latest forecast, with showery, cooler than normal weather continuing.

This podcast will give you an introduction to spring weather over the Northwest.  And I will discuss the amazing weather roller coaster we are on, with 70s on Thursday, but heavy snow in the mountains and even some lowland snowflakes Sunday morning.  Plus, a powerful storm on Sunday night!

Weather forecast skill has gotten much better during the past thirty years and in this podcast, I will tell you why this has happened and roughly how far into the future you can have confidence in the predictions.   Plus, the weekend forecast!

I am often asked:  are the weather folks on TV real meteorologists?  How good are their forecasts?   My podcast will answer such questions and more.  And I will provide the forecast for a soggy weekend ahead, with a front moving through Saturday morning and an atmospheric river pushing into the region late Sunday and Monday.

A strong low-pressure center will cross the northern Oregon coast on Sunday morning, with powerful winds to the south.  But it will be hardly windy in nearby Washington State.  Why?  I will explain in this podcast and talk about the huge differences in winds for different sections of Pacific cyclones.    And then there is precipitation.  Monday will bring an atmospher...

There are so many sources of weather predictions today.  Who has the most skill?  Why do they have the most skill?  What is the best weather app for your smartphone?  All will be revealed in this podcast.  And I  will also provide a very sunny weather forecast for this weekend... so be prepared to enjoy some outdoor activity.

During the past weeks, the Northwest has been locked in a cold, dry pattern--that will change on Saturday as warm/wet weather returns.  I will describe this change in the podcast and will discuss an interesting subtlety of our cold weather:  the often large air temperatures variations throughout the Puget Sound region.  Why do they occur?  You find out in this podcast.

This podcast will provide a detailed discussion of the upcoming cold and snow event over the Northwest.  The mountains will be hit hard with as much as 1-2 feet and some of you in western Washington may see snowflakes if you are located in just the right place.....northern Seattle and Snohomish County in the Puget Sound convergence zone.

This week, a highly skilled meteorological jury finished their deliberations:  Washington State has a new ALL-TIME maximum temperature record of 120F observed at Hanford on June 29th, 2021.   This podcast will describe how they made the determination and why that location was favored for such extreme warmth.  And I will provide the forecast for the next week, with a very favora...

The big weather story today is the freezing rain that is hitting the eastern U.S.  How and why does freezing rain occur?  Where the are freezing rain "hotspots" of the Pacific Northwest?  All will be revealed in my podcast.    And I will provide the forecast, which is particularly dry this time of the year.

Since ancient times, mankind has developed and applied weather proverbs and sayings, from Red Sky at Night, to Clear Moon Frost Soon.  In my podcast I will describe a few of these ancient weather proverbs and analyze them with modern meteorological knowledge. Their skill may surprise you!  And I will also give the forecast for the weekend and next week, which includes the return of preci...

This weekend will be dominated by high pressure over the Northwest.  But such high pressure can produce both cool/foggy conditions and brilliant sum and warmth.   This podcast tells you why and provides the high-pressure forecast for the weekend and beyond.

The forecast for this weekend should be a relief to everyone--mostly dry for most of Washington and Oregon.  In fact, a trend to drier conditions is quite typical for the last half of January, and this podcast will tell you why.  Some super dry conditions are expected for the end of next week....so get prepared for outdoor fun.

During the past week we have been hit by rain, snow, and freezing rain.  Strong warm fronts and cold fronts. Flooding and record-breaking snow. I will talk about our recent weather and provide the weekend forecast.  And I will also tell you how the atmospheric temperature structure controls the type of precipitation we receive at the surface.

This podcast describes the warming situation this weekend and the potential for snow from Monday morning to Tuesday.  And I examine the causes of the terrible wildfire disaster in Colorado