IFR in Seattle

[Mojo Risen]

I am interested in going to Seattle for some actual IFR. And need to know what time of year I can expect consistant rain and fog but a high alt. freezing level

Thanks

 

[Singlecoil]

That's pretty much impossible to predict in Seattle. Sometimes it won't rain for over a month in the middle of winter, sometimes it rains every day in July. I've seen 14,000 ft freezing levels in December and 5,000 foot freezing levels in May. April probably brings a good chance of finding clouds, but you might get ice at 5,000.

 

[Dickensheets]

Not sure where you are but I would suggest just about anywhere along the WA, OR, CA coast now through September. Find a podunk airport somewhere have lunch and shoot approaches to your hearts content.

RD

 

[wxman13]

Wednesday was pretty good in the Seattle area... 050OVC at Bremerton (a bit to the west) and solid all the way up at least to 9000 over the Cascades...

It's a bit different every day though, as has been said.

 

[DJS]

Seattle

I can't think of a better place to do instrument training than the winter in Seattle. Unfortunately for instrument students, it's summer right now.

It's highly unpredictable in the summer in Seattle. Monday was gorgeous and sunny. Tuesday started out great, I flew over the eastern WA, then some serious t-storms in the west in the afternoon (I watched the radar on the internet from sunny Chelan). Wednesday was 85 and sunny in Chelan when I took off, but from Cle Elum west was solid IMC, rain, light turb the entire way home; perfect instrument flying weather, just what you are looking for. Freezing level was up around 110 so no ice threat where I was flying. But you just never know around here. I might have had to wait a day or two to fly home because the freezing level could have easily been down at 050 or so and I won't fly over the mountains if there's even a risk of ice...there's nowhere to descend except trees and rocks!

Having said that, July and August are typically sunny.

I did my instrument training October-Feb a couple winters ago. I got a ton of actual, mainly because the freezing level frequently sits above 030 even in the winter, and there are plenty of low altitude places to fly in the Puget Sound area. I did get in a couple of interesting ice experiences, as well, though; it's nice knowing that you're over the Puget Sound and the temp down there is well above freezing, especially as the clear ice starts rapidly building on your wings at 040 ("uh, Seattle approach, Cessna 12345 would like lower because the accumulating ice is going to make us go lower in about 20 seconds anyways!"),

 

[Mojo Risen]

Right on !

Guess I will try after July. I found some IFR in SLC, but it really is hard to find in the high desert.

Thanks

 

[TurboS7]

Anytime in the fall from about OCT on lots of fog and actual stuff. Summer can be IFR too you just have to get it right.

 

[Kingairrick]

From a Florida based pilot, one caveat: there are rocks in the clouds out there up to 15000 feet. Be careful!