Weather Eye: Expect Halloween shenanigans from Mother Nature on Monday

Outside of the political arena, I was hoping for an October surprise weather-wise, as in a dry, sunny day. Alas, it wasn’t in the cards. We almost squeaked in Friday, but the official tally in Vancouver was 0.01 inch.

The monthly total as of 4 p.m. Saturday was just under 8 inches at 7.98 inches. No worry, we will surpass that today as yet another system rolls up from the south. Expect another quarter to one-half inch of rain around the county.

Halloween looks like showers will abound as the heavenly skies provide their own Halloween shenanigans. As October exits stage right, November arrives stage left and continues with the October mischief with more showers. The rest of the week looks unsettled with rain possible any day.

This will go in the record books as the wettest October on record for Vancouver. At No. 2 is October 1997 with 7.37 inches, and at No. 3 is October 1955 with 7.25 inches.

If it seemed to you like it rained every day, you were close. As of Saturday, we had 27 days with measurable rainfall. Today it will be 28, and Monday it will be 29 days. That is a record as well. The previous rainiest October was in 2005 with 25 days (1984, 1990 and 1997 each had 24).

Rainy days and excessive rain totals are exactly what I don’t like to see go in the record books. It was a good thing the rivers were low or we would have been talking about some serious flooding. Hopefully, November will behave and stay closer to the average of 6 inches. Last year, it was almost right on with 5.91 inches.

So if you have plans outside for Monday evening, plan on a possibility of some rain, but maybe you will outsmart the weather and be lucky.

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

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