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<title>Coldest spring since 1917</title>
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<p><big><i><font face="Arial" size="2"><big>Published: Wednesday, June
11, 2008</big></font></i><br>
</big></p>
<p><big><b><font face="Arial">There's rain on the grill and snow in the
passes</font></b>
</big></p>
<p><big><b><font face="Arial">UW prof says it's the coldest spring
since 1917</font></b>
</big></p>
<p><big><i><font face="Arial" size="2"><big>By </big></font></i><a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:jswitzer@heraldnet.com"><i><u><font
color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><big>Jeff Switzer</big></font></u></i></a><i><br>
<font face="Arial" size="2"><big>Herald Writer</big></font></i>
</big></p>
<p><big><font face="Arial" size="2"><big>There's further proof that
this spring has been uncomfortably and depressingly cold -- the coldest
in memory, the coldest since 1917.<br>
<br>
Validation came Tuesday from the University of Washington, where Cliff
Mass, an atmospheric sciences professor, published his new "barbecue
index."<br>
<br>
"I've gotten a lot of calls about how unusual this weather's been,"
said Mass. "In roughly 90 years, this is the most</big><wbr><big>
unpleasant year for being outside and having a barbecue."<br>
<br>
Mass and meteorologist Mark Albright found proof of the pain after
reviewing warm spring days since 1894. They tallied the number of
spring days above 60 degrees.<br>
<br>
"Sixty degrees is a very important temperature," Mass said. "Most
people are fairly comfortable being outside."<br>
<br>
He found that most years have about 42 days of warm weather between
March 11 and June 10.<br>
<br>
This year, there have been only 23 days with temperatures above 60
degrees.<br>
<br>
Not since spring 1917 -- when there were only 18 days of warm weather
-- has there been so many chilly spring days, Mass said.<br>
<br>
The first nine days of June are supposed to average about 68 degrees,
but this year temps averaged 57 degrees, measured in downtown Seattle.
That's the coldest ever since records started in 1891.<br>
<br>
Five Western Washington sites including the Seattle-Tacoma
International Airport and Bellingham all broke records for having daily
high temperatures that are very low.<br>
<br>
"Our high temperatures this month are closer to our average low than
our average high," meteorologist Dennis D'Amico said.<br>
<br>
It's not just the cold weather that seems weird. Winds whipped up
Monday, briefly knocking out power to 20,000 customers in north
Snohomish County.<br>
<br>
A few inches of snowfall in the mountain passes Monday and Tuesday made
international TV news, and drew calls to local meteorologists from
media outlets in Vancouver, B.C., and Los Angeles.<br>
<br>
The snow fell at low elevations, bringing out state highway snowplows
in June for the first time in 30 years. The winter-that-never-ended
broke the state snowplow budget by at least $9.1 million, and crews
were forced to plow when they are usually mowing grass.<br>
<br>
Mount Rainier set a record for June snowfall with 33 inches, breaking
the previous record of 22 inches. The odd late snowfall also prompted
an avalanche warning in mountain backcountry starting today.<br>
<br>
<b><font color="#cc0000">The cold temperatures are blamed on the La
Nina cold surface water
temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean. They've influenced the jet
stream and helped drive down temperatures in the Northwest, Mass said.
The cold weather has slid south from the Gulf of Alaska.</font></b><br>
<br>
Forecasters predict a cooler than normal summer without any sign of how
wet or dry it might be, D'Amico said.<br>
<br>
Weather is expected to get nicer through the rest of the week, with
temperatures warming up into the mid-60s and with the possibility of a
dry weekend. On Monday, it might drizzle but temperatures are forecast
to stay in the 60s, meteorologists said.<br>
<br>
Mass confesses even he's ready for a change. He planted vegetable seeds
in April: zucchini, green beans and peas.<br>
<br>
"They rotted in the ground," he said. "A lot of my flowering plants
were delayed. My tomato plants are not going anywhere, but they're
still alive. My friend who is a beekeeper said the bees are suffering,
and the amount of honey laid into the frames is way below expectations."<br>
<br>
Although, according to the calendar, summer starts June 21, the whole
month tends to be overcast and gloomy. Summer doesn't</big></font><i> <font
face="Arial" size="2"><big>really</big></font></i> <font face="Arial"
size="2"><big>start around here until July 11, Mass said.<br>
<br>
Until then, it's still wool socks and sandals season. Remember, wool
helps to wick away the water -- even the tears that fall because you
can't barbecue.<br>
<br>
</big></font><i><font face="Arial" size="2"><big>Reporter Jeff Switzer:
425-339-3452 or </big></font></i><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:jswitzer@heraldnet.com"><i><u><font color="#0000ff"
face="Arial" size="2"><big>jswitzer@heraldnet.com</big></font></u></i></a><i><font
face="Arial" size="2"><big>.</big></font></i>
</big></p>
<font face="Arial">© 2008The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA </font>
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