Weather Eye: Enjoy midweek respite from rain; get the grill ready

When it rains it pours! That was the case Monday with widely scattered showers, some of which were frog stranglers. I mean heavy. There were some reports of hail with the showers and a clap of thunder was reported in the foothills.

We enjoyed some blue skies and sunshine in between the showers and mild temperatures. Snow fell in the Cascades but the roadways were wet or slushy over the passes in between the heavy showers. Did you see any rainbows Monday?

We dry out for a couple of days with highs today through Thursday at 60 degrees or better. Hey, a touch of spring warmth I would say. Beyond that into the weekend we add a chance of more spring showers with perhaps a dry day Saturday. Maybe warm enough around 65 degrees for a barbecue?

So far this month in Vancouver we have measured over 3 inches of rain, about 2 inches above average. No shortage here. No freezes so far this month at Pearson Field, which helps to make the average mean temperature at 49 degrees, 3 degrees above average. Wet and mild — and maybe a little wild thrown in as well.

The way we are going with the rainfall, we can ease off on those upcoming April showers. The flowers will have plenty of moisture around their roots, to say the least. And speaking of flowers, the flowering trees are exploding with each sunburst we get. Almost overnight it seems. Yes, spring is on a fast track.

Local weather observer Tyler Mode of Battle Ground traveled up to Alaska to snap photos of the northern lights and reported Monday it was some 25 degrees below zero. He also shared some speculator pictures of the aurora borealis.

Enjoy the break in the weather midweek, clean off the patio furniture and get the barbecue ready. I have to get in my annual spring saying so here goes: “Spring has sprung, the grass has ‘ris, I wonder where the birdies is?”

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