So let’s review some rainfall reports from your friends and neighbors around the region for last month. I recorded 2.39 inches here in north Salmon Creek; Pearson Field, Vancouver, 2.39 inches; Gary Collins, Brush Prairie, 4.06 inches; Claudia Chiasson, Carson, 8.49 inches; Judy Darke, Felida, 2.65 inches; Tyler Mode, Minnehaha, 2.12 inches; Bud Maddux, Home Valley, 5.51 inches; Pete Conrad, Tukes Mountain, Battle Ground, 3.58 inches; Jim Knoll, Orchards, 3.38 inches; Bob Starr, Cougar, 13.77 inches; Robin Ruzek, Lake Shore, 2.28 inches; Phil Delany, above Dole Valley, 8.9 inches; Irv St. Germain, Prune Hill, 3.57 inches; Phil Harris, Washougal, 2.81 inches; Ellen Smart, Ridgefield, 2.20 inches; Larry Lebsack, Hazel Dell, 2.38 inches; Will Hayden, Five Corners, 4.57 inches; Tom Brown, Battle Ground, 2.17 inches; Dan Hein, one mile north of Camas, 4.30 inches; Linda Roberts, Prindle, 5.10 inches; Nick Peck, Yacolt 7.46 inches; and Murphy Dennis, Rawson Road next to Clark Rifles, 9.28 inches.

The official outlook for March still calls for wetter and cooler than average conditions for our local area. Last month certainly didn’t pan out like the forecast so we will just have to wait and see how March ends up. The first six days have been on the dry side and we are already running three quarters of an inch below normal. The weekend outlook does call for more clouds and rain so perhaps we will catch up just a bit.

One interesting aspect of weather observing is noting the weather only once every four years for Feb. 29. I never bothered to look back at the statistics for that day as it seems to come and go so fast and disappears until several years later. Anyway, I got an e-mail along with February’s rainfall report from local weather observer Jim Knoll of Orchards. Here is his commentary on Feb. 29: “Well it happened again! Another Feb. 29 goes by without getting frost. It is the only date from Oct. 10 through April 6 in which I’ve never recorded a temperature of 32 degrees or less. I was hoping this would be the year to finally get there but it only made it down to 40 degrees. But I did set a record high of 64 degrees this year. I have recorded eight Feb. 29s since I’ve been keeping temperature records at home. Maybe in 2012!”

Looking at the latest extended computer models Thursday, it sure looks like our weather will be changing to a much wetter and cooler regime. Of course I have seen this before so, as always, stay tuned. Some of the models indicate some really good storms around St. Patrick’s Day with windy conditions. Now that would be just the luck of the Irish, eh?

Pat Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach him at weathersystems.com.