The fall, rainy season is here, and forecasters predict mild temperatures and continued showers throughout the week.
The National Weather Service in Portland predicts rain will continue throughout Tuesday with a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Forecasters expect up to a quarter of an inch of rain by the end of the day.
The rain is likely to pause Wednesday, before another round begins that night and stretches into Thursday, according to the weather service. However, meteorologists say the rain should stop for the weekend.
This week’s weather system is lighter than the downpour that broke through the summer heat earlier this month. On Sept. 18 and 19, Vancouver saw almost 3 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
By comparison, about a half-inch of rainfall was recorded from Sunday evening to Monday afternoon at weather service gauges at Pearson Field.
Meteorologists predict temperatures to stay mild throughout this week — in the mid- to upper 60s. Temperatures could reach into the 70s, but meteorologist Becca Muessle said summer is behind us. She said the rainfall expected this week is typical for this time of year.
The showers have brought some relief from the summer’s severe drought conditions. On Monday, the Vancouver fire marshal lifted the recreational burn ban in city limits that went into effect June 11. The Clark County fire marshal lifted a recreational burn ban for the unincorporated areas of the county on Sept. 21.
However, Clark County is still in a moderate drought, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said it’s still important to follow fire safety practices.
“Wet weather is not a guarantee that hot fire embers will not travel or that recreational fires can safely be left unattended,” the fire marshal stated.
