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Weather Intell for Arlington WA (KAWO)?

Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
I'm supposed to fly in to Arlington Tuesday to do some test flying on Wednesday, and looking at the long-range forecast on Weathermiester, they are calling for 30-50% chance of showers. i know that when I lived on the gulf coast, 40% chance just meant "a summer day - live with it", and you flew around showers. Not familiar with Northwest weather, I am curious if any locals can enlighten me - should I expect low IFR? reasonable VFR with scattered showers? Zero zero with icing?

What do you locals expect the week to look like?

Paul (rapidly unlearning 40 years of central US weather knowledge...)
 
Quite often Arlington is below VFR in the mornings and breaks up around noon at this time of year. Otherwise the ceilings are low till noon. It's always a guess what each morning will bring if showers are in the forecast.
 
Paul -

Our weather in the Seattle area at this time of year is characterized by marine layers that tend to burn off by noon or 1 PM. Tuesday looks just fine for VFR, if you arrive early afternoon (or later) and expect a bit of atmospheric instability from the system that is currently camped just offshore.

Some resources:
www.popav.com/Webcams (disclaimer -- I own PopAv, and the feeds are simply an alternate presentation of www.wsdot.wa.gov/aviation/WebCam/Arlington.htm. There is also a mobile version of PopAv, also with weather links.

For accurate(?) forecasts:
The Seattle Forecast Discussion from the NWS. It rocks.

Seattle TRACON forecast

University of Washington Radar Loop (awesome)

The best public forecast is at www.komonews.com/weather/

And of course no list would be complete without www.aviationweather.gov/

Hope that helps.

Mike
 
Slightly off topic, but what does it tell you that the last place we go for weather info for a particular area, is the official aviation weather site? :)
 
Thanks guys - that gives me a little more idea what to expect. I find that nothing gives me a better representation of the overall weather picture than Weathermeister - but you sometimes need local knowledge to tell you what the forecast really means. After all, WM doesn't WRITE the forecasts - just presents them.

We'll see if it works out this week - have a couple of stops to make in the Arlington area - usual suspects in the area for experimental aviation....

Paul
 
PM me if you have time to stop by WA87. I was just up that way yesterday and was surprised to wake up to "clear" METARs through that whole area. As mentioned, the marine layer rules the area.
 
Weather is looking Great this year !

When the weather is good here, it is GOOD! If anyone is on the fence about coming to Arlington, this would be the year to do it.

Arlington can be hit or miss for weather, but things are shaping up to be one of the best weather years in a while.. Full moon too. ;-)

Thx
 
Snowflake said:
Slightly off topic, but what does it tell you that the last place we go for weather info for a particular area, is the official aviation weather site? :)
Click to expand...

Just illustrates the efficiency of the private sector. I think I pay 6.95/mo for WX Meister and I'm not even currently legal to fly. I never go any place else for WX.

Jerry
 
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