Weather Eye: Keep thoughts of spring in mind but jackets close to hand

Did you enjoy our Friday surprise? I mean, of course, the day with sun from almost sunrise to sunset. And it was mild as well, 2013’s first 60-degree day!

The last time it topped 60 or better was 61 on Nov. 30. Remember Friday; we won’t be dealing with any spring-like weather this week. It appears we will have below-average temperatures, low snow levels and bouts of showers. Not a wash-out, but a sweatshirt or jacket type of week.

Good news for the mountains; a few inches of new snow will freshen the slopes. Snow will touch the foothills at times through Friday.Saturday wasn’t too bad, with scattered showers, but boy, that wind had a little bite to it, didn’t it? There were reports of hail and thunder in western Clark County.

In my years in the weather business, I have met some interesting weather. Forecasting, wishcasting and nowcasting are all challenges; sometimes I feel weather forecasting is like driving a car blindfolded while taking directions from someone looking at the rear view mirror.

Someone once said that there is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. That may be up for debate when disaster strikes, but for everyone who wants the sun to shine, there are those who wish a little rain would fall.

The nice thing about living in the Pacific Northwest is that there is such a varied contrast of weather and climate. My father told me, “To predict weather in the Northwest, you have to be a newcomer or a darn fool.”

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