Weather eye: Just like last year, end of February could bring a blast of snow

Saturday was a rather typical winter day, with clouds and showers and lots of fresh snow in the mountains. High surf made it an excellent day for storm-watching along the coast — from a safe vantage point, I hope.

The rest of the week will be uneventful as high pressure remains to our west and weather systems move over the top of the ridge. This translates into occasional bouts of rain or showers and some breaks in between.

Longer-range computer models make next weekend seem interesting, as a cold trough of low pressure slides down from the Gulf. This could, and I mean could, bring us a chance of snow in the lowlands but, as you know, things have to work out just right.

Last year about that time, however, a similar situation did bring cold and snow to the area. Last year, we had three really chilly days, beginning Feb. 24 with a high and low of 39 and 30 degrees. On Feb. 25, that fell to 35/21, and we had 35/17 on Feb. 26. The short-lived cold spell was accompanied by 1 to 2 inches of snow.

So it is still possible to get a late blast of winter, but of course this still a ways out and not a certainty, so stay tuned as always.

Now, I did mention several weeks ago that if it was going to snow it would do it in the last week of February and that I would let you know why later on.

OK, I am leaving next week for Hawaii for hopefully a little R&R in the warm sunshine. So I figure that is when it would snow here, as I would miss it, tough news for a dedicated weather fan.

So if it is cold and snowy here, just blame me and I will think of you all with a piña colada in hand.

Enjoy your week. Aloha!

Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at http://weathersystems.com.