Weather Eye: After rain today and Monday, get out the sunglasses

Let’s review February’s rainfall from around the area before our next rainstorm arrives tonight and Monday:

Rob Starr, Cougar, 7.82 inches; Jim Knoll, Five Corners, 3.63 inches; Robin Ruzek, Lakeshore, 3.71 inches; Chuck Houghten, Hockinson Heights, 6.27 inches; Tyler Mode, Battle Ground, 4.87 inches; Bob Mode, Minnehaha, 2.87 inches; Irv St. Germain, Prune Hill, 3.61 inches; Claudia Chiasson, Carson, 6.49 inches; Dick Lenahan, Meadow Glade, 4.16 inches; Barry Fitzthum, Amboy, 5.45 inches; Murphy Dennis, Rawson Road near Clark County Rifles, 3.45 inches; Larry Lebsack, Barberton area, 4.17 inches; Judy Weber, west of View, 4.08 inches; Ellen Smart, Ridgefield, 2.90 inches; and Dave Campbell, 1 mile west of Heisson, 5.11 inches.

The official rainfall for Vancouver was 3.06 inches, .71 of an inch below average.

Needless to say, last month’s rainfall was well below average for many of our local weather observers. If we hadn’t received that deluge on the last day of the month, we would have been way, way below average. Vancouver recorded 1.79 inches on Feb. 28.

March so far is still running below average, with 1.93 inches in the gauge as of 2 p.m. Saturday.

The weather system arriving later tonight will help us catch up a bit, with up to half an inch of rain possible, and maybe more in the foothills. We’ll see how much ends up in the official rain gauge for Vancouver in Tuesday’s column.

After the rain Monday, high pressure moves in, and we will be on the south side of the jet stream. That means we could see our first 70-degree day on Tuesday. Don’t hold your breath, but it will be well into the 60s Tuesday through Thursday — a nice change for those in Oregon on spring break. By the end of the week, we may go back to unsettled weather.

Our warmest temperature so far this year was 68 degrees on Feb. 11. The last day we enjoyed a high of 70 degrees or better was way back on Oct. 2, 2021, with 71 degrees. That was so long ago I don’t even remember that day. We’ll watch the thermometer on Tuesday.

Get through the rain today and Monday, and then pull out the sunglasses.

Take care.