Thursday, August 4, 2011

Finally, The Suck Relents (and It Was About Time)

I am going to say something now that will shock my faithful readers (all three of them): In summer (both months of it) Bend's weather really is like paradise. Or as close as we're going to get to it in this vale of toil and sorrow.

After the dismalest, dreariest, wettest and chilliest spring and early summer in my memory, La Nina or the Pacific Decadal Oscillation or whatever it was finally relented and let us have a summer-like July.

The temperature rose above 60 every single day of the month. It rose above 70 on 30 days, and above 80 on 17 days. It even climbed into the 90s on four days. Aside from a chilly, wet two-day interval on the 18th and 19th, even I couldn't really find anything to complain about.

August is picking up where July left off, and I'm hoping we'll get at least two solid months of summer in. I'm even daring to hope that we'll have a nice long Indian summer to compensate for the totally suckalicious spring. But that's probably delusional.

Totals for July:

Comfortable Days: 30
Tolerable Days: 1
Cold Days: 0

Totals YTD:


Comfortable Days: 38
Tolerable Days: 33
Cold Days: 22

Note: I have decided to use the Weather Channel as my source for the daily highs because (a) it's turned into a pain in the ass to log them every day myself and (b) sometimes I'm not around to do it.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Way to jinx it dude...

Oh well, at least it'll cool things off. I don't know what it is that people like about weather you can't escape from.

Marshall_Will said...

"I'm even daring to hope that we'll have a nice long Indian summer to compensate for the totally suckalicious spring. But that's probably delusional."

From your mouth to God's ears. I don't garden but many of my friends do. Depending on which crop, they'll tell you we're a solid 4 to 6 weeks lag. NO ONE has red, ripe tomatoes. Period.

But we've been conditioned not to get our hopes up for a late-summer rally. If and when you get it, count your lucky stars. Anticipating one out of a sense of decency and fairness can only lead to heartache.

H. Bruce Miller said...

"Depending on which crop, they'll tell you we're a solid 4 to 6 weeks lag."

It's not just crops; all vegetation seems to be experiencing that lag.

"Anticipating one out of a sense of decency and fairness can only lead to heartache."

Of course I am mature enough to know that nature doesn't "play fair."

But I seem to remember that back in the day, Indian summers that lingered though October were pretty routine here. One year I drove to the Lord's Acre Sale Powell Butte in early November with the top down on my convertible. I really think the Central Oregon climate is changing, and not for the better.

Marshall_Will said...

"But I seem to remember that back in the day, Indian summers that lingered though October were pretty routine here."

As do I. Halloween itself was often dicey but generally I BANKED on them. With kids back in school it was the only time to get caught up on outdoor chores without interruption.

Our daughters were both born in mid-Oct and shared a BD party until their late teens.

Virtually all of our photo albums are filled w/ b'day party pic's of kids in t-shirts and shorts. Only venturing inside to unwrap gifts. ( Why come 'in' when there's a trampoline 'out'? ) Even when I/S's weren't "to die for" they were certainly useable!

Unfortunately now, August is the New October.

H. Bruce Miller said...

Halloween typically was when the weather turned sucky. Summer on Oct. 30, winter on Oct. 31.

Marshall_Will said...

Bruce,

You may have also noticed those To Die For days in Feb/Mar/April have all but vaporized. I recall giving a sales presentation in Prineville in Apr. '03 and it was -awesome- the whole drive there and back.

Nearly 80 every bit of the way RT from Salem. You'd want to keep your clubs in the trunk for just such an ocassion. Now they're either buried deep or long since in storage in the garage.

Given revenues, looks like a lot of us have given up altogether. No doubt golf had peaked as a sport, but the shift in weather patterns hasn't helped, even for the diehards.

Overall, I'd say our weekend was so-so. While gorgeous later in the day, peak tanning was obscured by intermittent low clouds. Barely got an hour in. Our local Fest-fest ( Homer Davenport Days ) was poorly, POORLY attended.

Again I imagine a combination of economic influences AND iffy weather kept plenty at home. This mind you after a major blow-up to move it 'later' in the year! Certain parties may rejoice in the fact that we're socked in & sucking here in Silverton and Bend seems to be faring better!

( But look how late in the year it took for that divergence to make itself apparent!? ) That 'used' to take place in May.

Marshall_Will said...

Is that a '74' I see dangling in the 10-Day Forecast there? Just at a glance, for mid-August those temp's look low.

Aren't you guys closer to if not in the 90's by this time of year? How many 90 deg. days is the norm for summer?

H. Bruce Miller said...

Highs in the mid-80s are the norm for Bend in August. We had normal summer temps for about three weeks, but it now looks like we're reverting to suckishness. Indian summer prospects looking sketchy.