More rain and snow forecast this month

Despite the 0.8 degree rise in Earth’s temperature, this February, or perhaps this winter season, may go into the record books as one the most severe in recorded history.

For example, there have been a record six blizzards this season across eastern Colorado and western Kansas. As a whole, it’s been reported that it’s been the snowiest season ever east of the Rockies.

As of this writing, the second half of winter is one of the coldest across Canada and the U.S. on record. In February alone, there were more than 200 inches of snow measured in some parts of western New York State, the most ever for the 28-day period.

It’s estimated that shaded piles of the white may not melt until July.

Here in the Inland Northwest, many folks continue to ask, “When is spring coming?” Many are tired of the rain, snow and the many cloudy days.

From Jan. 1 through Feb. 26, we’ve seen 40 overcast and only two clear days. Believe it or not, the normal number of cloudy days for January and February is 44.

As we move further along into March, I do expect to see more rain and snow as a series of quick-moving storms blast through the area. There will be light snow at times, but it will quickly melt in the driveway before one has time to shovel it off.

We’ll also have occasionally gusty winds.

The middle of March points to drier and milder weather with highs climbing into the 50s, similar to what we had in mid-February. But, the nice break is not expected to last long.

More showers, and perhaps a few thunderstorms, will pop up toward the end of this month.

April will be cool at first, with warmer days likely by the end of the first month of spring on April 20. Precipitation should be less than usual for the 30-day period due to a stubborn ridge of high pressure that may not break until very late in the month.

May and June should a bit cooler and wetter than normal. However, I see less total precipitation this spring than in past seasons since 2000.

The summer of 2007 should be warm again, but not as blisteringly hot as in 2006. I expect there will be somewhere around 20 to 25 days in Spokane, the Spokane Valley and Coeur d’Alene at or above 90 degrees.

This summer also will be much wetter with far more computer-crashing thunderstorms than in 2006, when record drought conditions baked the Inland Empire for months on end.

Over the last two weeks, I’ve provided some information on how our planet has experienced both warm and cold periods alternating over the ages.

There have been number of e-mails expressing both sides to the global warming issue. All comments have made for very interesting reading, and I thank you for sending them.

Some folks jjvoted on this matter. The latest results as of early in the week showed that 41 percent state that “we are partly to blame” for global warming, 29.5 percent say it’s a “natural cycle,” and 29.5 percent claim that this warming basically is “our fault.” No one, however, has said it’s “science fiction” (no surprise there).