Rain RAin go away

Weather Forecast Gets ‘Suessed’

By Tomi Owens, 1-02-07

Bleak, gloomy, depressing—look outside and pick an adjective (or expletive) and brace yourself for another year of Northwest weather.

In the desperate hope that maybe, just maybe, it was snowing rather than raining on the mountain, I checked the USDA Forest Service Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center.

Well, the weather forecast was predictably dismal.
Wet, warm air is turning the ski slopes to that notorious “Portland Cement.” However, the forecast included the following ‘meteorological sonnet’ which I have posted in full below.

Thank you, NWAC, for keeping us informed and entertained.

“So the New Year’s arrived,
And the rains have begun—
Going out right now,
Shouldn’t be much fun.

Best to wait for a bit,
And let temperatures cool—
It’s better for safety,
As a general rule.

A warming snowpack,
Stressed out by rain—
Can be a real problem,
More than just a pain.

But tonight freezing levels
lower,
Rain turns to snow showers—
The old snow refreezes,
And strengthens with the
hours.

Tomorrow holds a promise,
Of more moderate snow—
Except near Mt Hood,
Where it may be best not to
go.

Then after a break on
Thursday,
The jetstream roars back—
And laden with moisture,
The Northwest will attack.

Heavy snow, strong winds,
Friday looks bleak—
And heavy showers persist,
Through the end of the
week.

While extended range
models,
Sometimes lack in
precision,
The trends shown above,
Should aid your decision.

Know that Thursday’s
“break”,
May add a weak layer—
Like surface hoar or
powder,
Stuff we all like to savor.

So late this week,
When the danger’s high—
If you challenge the snow,
This rhyming won’t lie.

And as yet more snow
arrives,
Over the weekend too—
If it warms on Sunday,
Best bid the mountains
adieu!

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