Weather Eye: Showers, unsettled weather forecast through weekend

Did you enjoy those April, excuse me, I mean May showers Monday? Feels like they were a carryover from last month. We need to change the rhythm for sure. Today showers end and we inch upward into the low 60s, still below average but with a warmer air mass Wednesday we should reach or surpass 70 degrees.

But as we saw last month, days without rain are short-lived with more rain falling on Thursday. Showers and unsettled weather are in the forecast through the weekend. How about Mother’s Day? Well, it will be more dry than wet, but showers will be scattered about. Plan an indoor meal to celebrate and save the BBQ or picnic for Father’s Day.

I looked at one forecast model for next week and if it were to come true, we would be in the 70s next Tuesday and perhaps our first 80-degree day Wednesday. That is a long way out but some eye candy for us weather forecasters.

The National Climate Center is holding fast to their outlook for May with cooler and wetter than normal weather. We keep high hopes that it is revised to a more positive outlook. The Cascades are still getting snow falling on the slopes so that is good news for everyone.

Our neighbors to the south of the Columbia River are in OK shape until you get farther up the Willamette Valley and points east and south in Oregon. There we find severe drought conditions. With the cool and wet conditions later this week, some of that moisture will reach the parched Earth. It is getting quite late now to make much of a difference, however. Southern Oregon and Northern California will be a tinderbox this fire season.

No frosts coming up this week which is good news. Mother’s Day this Sunday is usually a good mark for setting out tender plants. Let’s hope the remaining snow on Silver Star will not forebode a frost in the outlying areas.

If we reach 80 degrees next week that would be a milestone and not uncommon at all for May. After that we would look for the next milestone of 90 degrees. Not too common in May but it does occur.

Take care and enjoy the nice day.