It almost felt like springtime Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures running well into the 50s. And it has been very wet this week, although we got a brief break for most of Wednesday.
Vancouver’s monthly rainfall topped 6 inches Wednesday, almost 2 inches above normal, and with more rain Thursday, we will certainly add to that. Fortunately, the heaviest rain will be to our south and north, giving local creeks a break of sorts. Still lots of groundwater to run off.
Reports of high seas off the coast continue into Thursday, with swells running some 20 to 25 feet. Another great day for storm- watching. The good news is that the ocean will tend to quiet down on Friday and Saturday.
That also means we will dry out a little before more rain next week. I would expect freezing overnight conditions and maybe freezing fog as we encounter yet again another inversion with warmer temperatures aloft and very cool at the ground.
Earlier in the week, there appeared perhaps a chance of low-elevation snow early next week, but that has evaporated, and any precipitation that falls in the solid form will remain in the mountains.
And so it goes back to a tranquil period, with just seasonal weather. The weather geeks will have to reach out to other topics to occupy their time. Of course, it is still winter, and things could change quickly. There still is lots of cold air up north. I am enjoying the daylight hours getting longer in the afternoon.
How many times have you driven north on I-5 and noticed the turnoff to Napavine? Ever ventured off the freeway to check it out? Well, University of Washington professor Cliff Mass wrote about the “Napavine Triangle” and its odd weather in his blog on Tuesday. Interesting reading. For example, in last week’s snow in Western Washington, the community measured 25.5 inches of snow. For more, read his writings at: http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/
Enjoy your weekend, and I will see you Sunday.
Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at http://weathersystems.com.
