The main message in the weather department for the next week or so includes temperatures near normal and rainfall below normal. There’ll be light winds, gray skies with sprinkles at times, and some days with less cloudiness — pretty mellow weather ahead for mid-February.
I’ve had a couple of readers write to me asking about winter tires on their vehicles and if they can take them off. I don’t foresee any snow heading our way at this point unless something unexpected develops to the north. So, unless you are planning on going spring skiing in the weeks coming up, you can safely remove them. I’m thinking about changing my winter tires back to my regular tires next week as I don’t plan any mountain driving and my tire dealer doesn’t charge me for seasonal changeover. I don’t use studded tires; if I did, I would have them off as soon as possible.
Looking back at climate records after the end of February, we rarely get a snowstorm that would disable travel and shut the county down. If you live in our higher foothills, maybe wait until March to change those tires.
The weather pattern will remain rather benign until further notice. I feel that spring is on the way, and I have been out in the yard trimming shrubs and getting containers and beds ready for spring planting. The weather has cooperated for outdoor chores, so why not? I see many yards with lush, rapidly growing green grass already.
