EVERETT — A climatologist says record-breaking rains aren’t so bad. The lettuce and spinach sprouts in his garden are growing.
Slugs hiding in the underbrush are laughing and waiting to feast, he said.
Everett broke a 1999 record for the most rain in February and March, said Nick Bond, a climatologist with the state and a research scientist with the University of Washington. Everett scooted by its previous record with nearly a quarter inch of rain to spare. The weather station at Paine Field in Everett measured a total of 10.83 inches since February.
What may be more remarkable than the amount of precipitation is the number of rainy days, especially days when more than a tenth of an inch fell.
“That’s enough to get your feet wet,” Bond said.
There were 16 days in February and another 16 days in March, Bond said. The average is about 20 days for both months combined.
Though the rivers traveling through Snohomish County didn’t crest with the steady rain, smaller waterways did. Almost an inch of rain fell before noon one day in early February and flooded Scriber Creek in Lynnwood, causing nearby roadways and walking paths to flood. A culvert near Wilcox Park also collapsed.
Homeowners living along the shores of Lake Serene stacked sand bags around their homes to keep water from seeping into their back yards and basements.
The entire state experienced above normal precipitation, according to a Washington State Climatologist report. In February, Vancouver saw more than 10 inches of rain, and the monthly average is about 4 inches. Meanwhile, Seattle had more than 16 inches of rain in February and March.
Everett tends to be drier than Seattle, Bond said. The Olympic Mountains often shelter much of Snohomish County from storms that come in from the Pacific.
The forecast for the next week may be touch and go. Showers are expected to return over the weekend, said Josh Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The sun may come back for the first part of next week before showers pick back up again Wednesday, Smith said.
As for spring, the Washington State Climatologist report higher odds for above average precipitation.
Keep hope, Bond said. The rain isn’t expected to stick around into late spring or early summer.
“Long suffering citizens of Snohomish County, you have my sympathies,” Bond said. “We are all in this together.”
Caitlin Tompkins: 425-339-3192; ctompkins@heraldnet.com.
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