Want to make a guess when we might reach 60 degrees this year? Well, not right away, but forecast charts hint of milder weather by next weekend, and highs will bump into the mid- to upper 50s next Sunday. We have a fair shot at reaching 60 degrees.
According to decades of weather records, we usually have a brief warm and dry spell in February — a “false spring,” if you will. But not this year: Winter held strong.
In 2022, we reached 60 degrees on Jan. 20. And we had a record high of 68 degrees on Feb. 11. I guess if I am looking forward to 60 degrees or better, I can always find it in the weather record book. Doesn’t feel the same, however.
March continues to run about 5 degrees below average, but with a few milder days ahead, we will whittle away at that statistic. We reached a milestone of sorts on Friday, with our first 50-degree high of the month. Wow.
Freezing levels will rise today through Monday, with steady rain at times and no worries of lowland snow.
Another cold front will pass Monday night and Tuesday, lowering snowfall back to our foothills but mainly above 1,200 to 1,500 feet. Baby steps, I guess. Folks in Fairbanks, Alaska, jumped with joy last week as the temperature rose above 32 degrees for the first time in 2023. It hadn’t been above freezing since Nov. 14, 2022.
Skies cleared out enough Saturday afternoon for some welcome sunshine that pushed the thermometer to 54 degrees as of 4 p.m. Saturday. That is still a couple degrees below average for the date, but we’ll take it.
The incoming rain today and Monday should total upward of 2 inches in some areas of the county. Much of the foothills snow will be melting and filling hillside creeks rapidly, but no serious flooding is expected.
Our monthly rainfall as of 4 p.m. Saturday was right where it should be, but after today and Monday, we will be running much above normal. That’ll be a nice change. Take good care.
