08 May 2014 PNW Migration Update

An advancing low out of the Gulf of Alaska is well organized and pushing some big winds out of the SSW.  Which can only mean one thing for feathered migrants: time to boogie!  “Green Doughnuts” all around – birds are on the move in heavy migration.  Vanguards are being replaced by the bulk of the advance.  This push should bring the first reports of Willow Flycatchers and a better showing of Swainson’s Thrush.

Pacific Northwest Radar: (Click on the links below to open the .gif files in a new window)

Here is the grand view of the winds aloft from Earth:

Here is Paul’s archived National Radar Composite from yesterday. Look at the wind map, and then the radar. Again – one look at the Earth Wind map and you just know the Central and Mississippi Flyways are going to be jammed with birds. Wholesale bird soup.

And here are the weather maps (click on any image to bring up a full gallery view)

Vorticity – 500 mb

Winds Aloft – 850 mb