Friday was a dreary day for the first full day of spring, with early-afternoon temperatures hovering in the mid- to upper 40s. Chilly by any means. Today, we’ll transition to scattered showers, but we may be lucky enough to have them far between and allow some sunbreaks to cast shadows upon the earth.
Another weather system will be present Sunday, with heavy rain to our north and light amounts over us. It will still be a gray and damp day before we see a brief reprieve from the chilly rains of late.
On Monday, showers will end and the air aloft will warm quickly. With afternoon sunshine, we should reach the upper 60s to near 70 if we are fortunate. Tuesday will be the warmest day, with plenty of sunshine and highs in the 70s.
We shouldn’t have any difficulty in establishing a new record high on Tuesday. The current record is only 72 degrees, set in 1997. In comparison, Monday’s record high is also 72 degrees, but I doubt at this point we must rewrite that day.
Of course, I’m writing this column at midday Friday based on my analysis of the current computer forecast, and that always is subject to change. Sometimes while predicting that far out, I get frustrated, lean back in my chair and throw a dart at the dartboard. Hey, don’t knock it — sometimes it’s right on.
Clark College courses
I see Clark College is offering some weather- and outdoor-related offerings in its continuing education series this spring, so I will share with you. If you missed the Weather 101 class earlier this year, it will be offered at the new Ridgefield campus beginning May 7.
A fascinating course on Pacific Northwest salmon will begin at Ridgefield on April 28. Of course, the weather has a huge impact on the salmon runs.
Instead of looking out the window at the weather, a new course looks up to the sky: Stargazing 101 will be offered at the main campus May 7.
Another interesting course is the Natural History of Mount St. Helens, which will be offered at the main campus beginning May 5.
These courses are all taught by local professor Kyle Dittmer, a hydrologist-meteorologist who is also a member of the American Meteorological Society. Check the Clark College website for signup details.
Get through the weekend, and then enjoy a couple days of real spring weather.
