Weather Eye: March wetter than normal for a change; colder, too

How about that heavy all-day rain last Monday? Vancouver recorded a record rainfall of 1.21 inches. That was a soaker and more typical of a dark, cold, gray December day.

So far this month, we have 2.95 inches in the rain gauge, about two-thirds of an inch above average for a change. While the rain is back today, let’s review those amounts from February around the area:

Bob Starr, Cougar, 9.08 inches; Jim Knoll, Five Corners, 4.09 inches; Robin Ruzek, Lakeshore, 2.47 inches; Chuck Houghten, Hockinson Heights, 5.24 inches; Tyler Mode, Battle Ground, 4.17 inches; Bob Mode, Minnehaha, 2.40 inches; Irv St. Germain, Prune Hill, 3.50 inches; Dick Lenahan, Meadow Glade, 2.73 inches; Ellen Smart, Ridgefield, 3.90 inches; and Barry Fitzthum, Amboy, 4.99 inches. Our friend Roland Derksen in Vancouver, B.C., reported 5.87 inches. The official rainfall for our Vancouver was 1.49 inches, 2.28 inches below normal.

Everyone recorded less precipitation than in January, but the most snow of the season fell instead. Vancouver’s average temperature last month was only 40.4 degrees, 2.7 degrees below normal. Then along comes March, and so far we are running 4.5 degrees below the average temperature of only 41.8 degrees.

Our first 60-degree high on Thursday, followed by 63 degrees on Friday, hardly made a dent in our chilly statistics for the month. We enjoyed another warm day Saturday, with temperatures in the mid- to upper 60s by late afternoon.

So, when will we see the first 70-degree high temperature? Our last 70-degree day was Oct. 9, 2022. We generally reach that 70-degree level in March, but it’s not looking that great at this point. With today’s return of showers that will continue all week, off and on, a cold air mass will settle in and keep our average high temperatures some 5 to 10 degrees cooler than average. Snow levels will reside generally at 2,500 feet, but forecast charts show them lowering to near 1,000 feet by late in the week. Possible snow in our foothills again.

Have a great week despite chilly temperatures and spring showers. Watch for a rainbow.