Rex Volition Dominate Northwest Conditions This Week

During the by 2 weeks, the Northwest has enjoyed absolutely normal weather.   Typical temperatures (see plot below, majestic together with cyan are normal highs together with lows) together with nearly normal atmospheric precipitation (see cumulative atmospheric precipitation for the same period).

 Normal has been skilful for us, giving relief to our plants, restoring H2O to the surface ground layers, together with radically reducing the H2O usage inward urban areas such equally Seattle (see below).

The occasional atmospheric precipitation has been associated amongst transient upper-level troughs that bring moved through the region, such equally 1 moving across the Northwest this morn (see upper level, 500-hPa, ap for five AM this AM)

But this calendar week something interesting is going to happen:  a real stable REX BLOCK volition develop over the eastern Pacific, shutting off precipitation, leaving us amongst lots of sun, dry out conditions, together with moderate temperatures. 

It volition locomote wonderful.

So what is a Rex Block?   It is a configuration of the atmosphere where the upper degree circulation has a ridge of high pressure level (or heights) due north of a trough of lower pressure/heights.  Here is a schematic of such a situation.

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Rex Block is a real stable atmospheric configuration, amongst the ridge together with trough reinforcing each other, keeping the stream designing inward place  (for reasons I beak almost inward my graduate synoptic/dynamics class, only won't larn into here).

The ridge/high usage produces descending motion together with fine weather, peculiarly on its eastern side.  Storms are sent far northward--in the example shown, good into Alaska where they belong.

The Rex Block has nil to arrive at amongst kings or dinosaurs, only amongst a meteorologist named D. F. Rex, who wrote a seminal newspaper on this features means dorsum inward 1950 (see below).

Rex, D. F. (1950). "Blocking Action inward the Middle Troposphere together with its Effect upon Regional Climate". Tellus. 2 (4): 275–301.

Now that you lot are Rex-trained, lets hold off at the upper-level forecasts for this week.

xi PM on Sunday?  Rex is here!  Huge ridge of high pressure/heights over the northeast Pacific, amongst a depression underneath.

 2 PM on Tuesday....classic Rex!

 5 AM on Thursday.   A Rex fiesta.

The REX block shifts westward on Fri (see below), allowing a trough to deed southward over us slow Fri night.   Some showers together with cooling if it happens.

Will the REX block reestablish itself?   Stay tuned.