Weather Eye: Temperatures will stay low, but keep your spirits up

Okay, so where is spring? That is what everyone is saying lately as the weather has certainly taken a turn backwards. Friday’s high of 54 degrees was some 13 degrees below normal and Saturday didn’t fare much better with a high of only 56 degrees as of 5 p.m. This May is running in the five coldest — not a popular category for sure.

Weather observer Dan Hein of Camas sent an e-mail and made this comment: “That string of 70s last weekend was sure nice, but since then it has been winter.

“Had a nice hail shower late Friday afternoon, along with some thunder, that piled up a half-inch deep in about ten minutes.”

Another weather observer, Phil Delany above Dole Valley, wrote, “What’s with this weather? Friday evening I could see snow down to at least 2500 feet and during a brief opening in the clouds, the higher hills looked quite white. My low temperature Friday of 37 came during one of the showers in the evening. We have 6.5 inches rain so far this month and I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t get any real warm weather until late next month.”

Although our average mean temperature is running below normal for the month, at least the rainfall is running above average and snow continues to fall in the mountains. Snow has been reported on the Cascade passes, especially overnight and in early-morning hours.

So when is all this unseasonable weather going to end? Not any time soon, I am afraid. Another deep cold trough of low pressure from the Gulf of Alaska will slide in on Tuesday, keeping chilly temperatures and showers and thunderstorms going all week. The Memorial Day holiday begins on a damp note, we can only hope for dry and warm weather the latter half.

Keep your spirits up and have a good week.

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