Weather Eye: Nothing exciting, and it looks like we’ll stay dry for a while

Same old, same old in the weather department with more clouds, fog, and frost and rather murky conditions here in the valleys, anyway. Go up above 2,000 feet and to the coast or mountains and you see clear skies.

Vancouver had a high and low Wednesday of 41 and 33. There were some areas with freezing fog and icy roadways, but nothing like the morning commute Monday. If we do see more clearing the next few nights, temperatures will for sure plummet into the 20s.

Long-range forecast models try to break down the massive high pressure off the coast, but only weak disturbances are shown making their way eastward and splitting apart. Perhaps northern Washington may get a shower from time to time, but locally I think we’ll remain dry for some time.

I guess the train is parked at the station, and until it leaves the station, just more of the same. This wasn’t totally unexpected, as most winter forecasters believed the main bulk of the winter weather with rain and snow would occur after Christmas.

Meanwhile, nature is still active, with squirrels dashing here and there, and the wild birds are still making a frenzy at my bird feeder. Thinking out loud, when things do change, it will be on the wild side, perhaps with lots of snow in the mountains and a cold outbreak in the lowlands. Maybe the week preceding Christmas, ho, ho, ho!

If you wanted balmy afternoon temperatures, you would have to travel east of the mountains where the Bend-Redmond area had highs in the mid to upper 50s. The free air freezing level is still hovering around 10,000 feet.

On Dec. 8, 2008, we enjoyed a high of 57 degrees, not knowing that just six days later on Dec. 14 we would enter into a winter wonderland with cold, snow and ice. From Dec. 14 through Christmas Day there were some days when the high never got out of the 20s. Last year on Dec. 8, it was mild, as well, with a high of 52 degrees and lots of rain. It was a very wet month last year, with 8.23 inches of rain and no snow.

And speaking of rain, we will look at November’s rainfall from your friends and neighbors in Sunday’s column. Take good care.

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