National Weather Service penis storm.jpg

The National Weather Service warns of high winds, 3 to 8 inches of snow and a storm pattern that's going to elicit plenty of eighth grade-level jokes.

(Photo via the National Weather Service)

If you're looking for another debate on the merits of climate science or an analysis of the winter storm heading our way, you're not going to find it here.

Instead, we're looking at a photo the National Weather Service tweeted out Tuesday evening. It predicts high winds in Portland with a potential for two to four inches of snow.

Further east, that extends to three to eight inches, with winds peaking at 55 to 75 mph. It's all visible in the handy chart above and as posted by the NWS.

East winds develop in the Gorge & metro Portland on Wed, followed by winter weather on Thu! Here's the latest forecast: #pdxtst pic.twitter.com/Smk8J0vHnu — NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) December 7, 2016

The question on all of our minds: Why does that weather pattern look so gosh-darn familiar?

If you tilt your head, it looks like a side view of Santa Claus falling on his belly with one booted leg thrust behind it.

You could also make a case for it being a side profile of the Pokemon Geodude. (But only, like, half of it.)

Oh. Wait.

Like so many woebegone weather simulations before it, the NWS illustration has taken a shape that's tossed unsuspecting meteorologists into fits of giggles time and again. (And again.)

We'll let @SwooshMcDuck take it with this animated GIF from the hit show "How I Met Your Mother:"

For a slew of jokes we can't possibly get away with here, Deadspin noticed the shape first and was more than happy to offer its takes on previous phallic-shaped weather forecasts.

(Seriously, though: Make sure you have those tire chains handy on Thursday morning.)

--Eder Campuzano

503.221.4344

@edercampuzano

ecampuzano@oregonian.com