Like a bear waking early from hibernation, Seattle-area residents nervously emerged squinting to clear skies and unseasonably warm weather this past week. Mother Nature has taken the dry January trend to heart.
Light therapy lamps stayed switched off, vitamin D bottles remained on the shelves, and parents across the region could be heard saying “go outside, it’s a nice day!”
The average high this time of year is in the mid-to-upper 40s. The respite from the torrential rain and flooding of December and temperatures lingering in the 50s – and threatening 60 degrees – has been a welcome surprise. But there is supposed to be a predictable rhythm to the seasons of the Pacific Northwest.
Confusion abounded. Like moths to a flame, gardeners could not avoid the pull of their work gloves, rakes and flower beds. Rival dads fired up lawnmowers to maintain best-lawn status. Those eating out faced the unexpected choice of “inside or patio?”
Puffy coats more suited to a Mt. Rainier expedition were swapped for lighter fleece jackets. Thankfully, flip flops largely remained stowed away, and Birkonstocked-feet were clad first with wool socks.
Can we withstand this shock to the system? We are used to being lulled into winter mode with the changing of the leaves and distraction of the holidays. And our expectations for spring weather are kept at an umbrella’s length. The return to wet and cold weather is inevitable, and it’s likely to be as sudden as this recent onslaught of sunshine. All that sunscreen washing into the streets once the rains start may create extremely slippery conditions.
We are usually looking for snow in the forecast this time of year, not at the UV Index. Snow starts out fun, too, but then we welcome back the usual weather. I’m not sure how we will respond going from mid-winter sun back to rain.
Keep those sun shades umbrellas handy!
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