Our local weather can be very changeable at times. After days and days of below average temperatures thanks to the influx of cold air from the valley, southerly winds blew in on Tuesday. This brought Vancouver's official high to 55 degrees. Wasn't that a great feeling?
I had to quickly ditch my winter coat and put on my spring jacket, and yes, I saw some die-hard Northwest natives at the grocery store on Tuesday wearing shorts. However, the temperature of 55 degrees was lower than the record high of 63 degrees set in 1953. I will say that a high of 55 degrees was more typical of a high temperature in early March.
Wednesday was a new day and not as mild as Tuesday. The pressure gradients changed, allowing easterly winds to reach Vancouver and we only had 48 degrees Celsius, which by the way is an average high temperature. Locations far from the river and gorge in the province enjoyed highs in the 50s.
After a long period of arctic air and sub-zero temperatures, the weather pattern will continue to be on the mild and humid side as well. I wonder what the groundhog will think in just eight days? Pinch yourself and remember that we are still in the winter realms and perhaps just on a runaway adventure.
It's possible that nature is turning into a spring-like weather-sensing slumber, especially with milder weather on the way with highs that could reach 60 degrees by Monday. The highest January temperature ever recorded was 66 degrees in 2005. Reliable records go back to 1896.
An interesting fact is that on January 24, 1916, the temperature in Browning, Mont., was as low as 56 degrees below zero. Cold enough, but the day before it was 44 degrees, which set a record for the largest 24-hour temperature change in the United States.
Did you see the band of heavy rain that moved across the county before sunset on Wednesday? Beautiful, towering cumulonimbus clouds streaked eastward with a few rainbows.
Vancouver's monthly rainfall has exceeded the normal amount for the month and with rain expected through the end of the month, rainfall totals of up to 8 inches are possible.
Good care.
