April Showers and May Flowers?

Last month I managed to forget to post the April results so I'll do double duty this month. April and May were both pretty average for temps with April a smidgen cooler than average and May a smidgen warmer. The story was more about precipitation and the LACK THEREOF. According to the local weather pros, the driest April-May combo on record. I measured just 1.36 inches for both months COMBINED! I typically see 7.49 inches across the two months. So dry is the word for mid-spring in Vancouver USA.

Neither month was anything crazy on any end of the extremes, there just were not any real extremes aside from being bone dry. The warmest temp in April was 82.9º and in May 85.6º with Memorial Day having the honor of the warmest day. The coldest morning low was 31.6º in April and in May it was 41.6º neither pressing on any records. The high temperatures managed to get above 50º every single day of both months. April had two days above 80º and May had five. 

Not much to talk about rainfall the wettest day was 0.29 inch on May 25th mostly from a heavy shower that also dropped some hail. That was the only day with more than a 1/4 inch in the bucket. April had a desert like 0.43 inch and May picked up the balance with 0.93 inch. Again, the driest April May combo on record not just for me but the metro area as well with records dating back 140 years.

Hopefully we will get the classic "Rose Festival Low" that haunts the Portland-Vancouver Metro area this year and get some much needed rain. Last season was really bad for wildfires in Washington and Oregon, this year could be worse. Same heavy rain in June could keep things dry through mid July to help stave off a really bad fire season.

So there really weren't any April Showers to bring those May Flowers, but honestly around these parts the flowers come a bit early anyhow :) Soak it up my friends, soak it up.