We certainly do not have anything to complain about weatherwise in our neck of the woods. After seeing the latest destruction of severe weather back east, I am at a loss for words. This has certainly been a very active year for tornadoes and unfortunately, no end in sight.
The facts as I write this column late Monday afternoon were that 116 people were confirmed dead in Joplin, Mo. According to the National Weather Service it is the deadliest tornado to strike the U.S. since one June 8, 1953 in Flint, Mich. This storm now ranks among the top 10 deadliest tornadoes on record. If you desire to follow this more closely with the latest details as they become available go to: http://tiny.cc/6ymlb.
Snowmelt continues to keep the Columbia River at our doorstep with the highest water in some time. If you haven’t, take a stroll along the riverside but be careful to observe at a distance! It could rise higher than predicted if the incoming weather systems this week dump excessive rains over the Cascades and on the east slopes. Stay tuned for that.
How much rain are we expecting? Today will bump 70 degrees with increasing clouds later in the day. Rain returns overnight into Wednesday with the bulk of it heading south. Thursday’s weather system looks more potent. We could see from the Wednesday through Friday time frame one-half to one inch of rain around the county. Enough to water the grass? I would think so.
