Amazing Lenticular Clouds and Weekend Weather

A weak front is now moving into the the region from the north. You can see the thickening clouds aloft...and they are evident in a recent high resolution visible satellite picture (see attached). The latest radar show some showers over the northern part of the state...they are all light (see radar image). Tomorrow a stronger system will be over us, and should produce a well-defined convergence zone (with moderate rain) over central Puget Sound. There will be showers in the mountains with snow down to 3000-4000 ft. Monday still looks dry...except for a few lingering showers in the mountains.

Yesterday, there were the most amazing wave clouds near Mt. Rainier (a sample picture is attached by Tim Thompson). KOMO TV has placed a number of the pictures online at
http://www.komonews.com/weather/blog/35631614.html

These are mountain wave clouds produced by air being forced to rise and sink by the mountain. The mountains displace the air upwards and then it goes up and down for a while. Where the air goes up..you get clouds, down clear air. These clouds often are lens shaped...and have been mistaken for flying saucers. In fact, the flying saucer craze started in 1947...and where was the first UFO seen?...Mt Rainier! I bet you can guess what it really was. I have a large section in my book on these mountain wave clouds.