Rain, Wind, Chill to Invade Northwest as March Ends

By Brett Rathbun, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

March 29,2015; 10:57PM,EDT

 

 

As a cold front sweeps through the region early this week, record-breaking warmth in some areas will be replaced by cooler, seasonable temperatures.
As many locations across the Pacific Northwest and northern Plains have enjoyed record-breaking warmth and temperatures 10-20 degrees F or more above average, temperatures will drop to near- or slightly below-average values to begin the month of April.
Shorts and t-shirts will have to be replaced with jeans and jackets when heading out to work or school.
According to AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde, "The milder trend of the northwestern U.S. will continue through Monday, but the winds will shift out of the Northwest and filter in cooler air to finish off the month of March and to start the month of April."

Cooler temperatures will be observed across the Pacific Northwest starting on Tuesday including the cities of Seattle, Portland, Oregon and Boise, Idaho. Temperatures will generally be in the 40s and 50s.
Across the northern Rockies, another warm day is in store on Tuesday with record-breaking warmth possible including the cities of Billings, Montana, Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Salt Lake City. Temperatures will tumble as the cold front moves through on Tuesday night and return to more-seasonable values on Wednesday.
Temperatures across the northern Rockies will be in the 60s and 70s on Tuesday before dropping to the 40s and 50s on Wednesday.
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As the system passes through, showers will occur across the Pacific Northwest and the northern Rockies with snow showers mainly across the Cascades and Rocky Mountains.

"Accompanying the cooler weather will be rainfall over the region. Though it will be heavy at times in a few areas, nothing significant is expected to occur," Rinde said.
Aside from the rain and cooler temperatures, winds will gust over 30 mph at times behind the front.

Scattered showers and cool temperatures are expected to continue across the area through the end of the week.
This chilly weather pattern may persist into the middle of April according to AccuWeather long-range meteorologists.