Call it Feb-rain-ary.
Rainfall in Portland reached new depths Monday as February 2017 officially became the second-wettest February ever recorded at Portland International Airport.
And there’s still eight more days left to break the record.
“I won’t say it’s guaranteed,” said Colby Neuman, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland. “But it’s looking like there’s a good chance.”
The wettest February’s 10.03 inches — 1996 9.53 inches — 2017 9.46 inches — 1949 8.92 inches — 1961 8.73 inches — 1999 7.78 inches — 1983
Through about 4 p.m. Monday, Portland’s airport had already seen 9.53 inches of rain this month. That includes .81 inches that fell Monday, helping the Rain City — sorry, Rose City — squish past rainfall from 1949.
Portland now only needs a little more than half an inch of rain to surpass the February airport record of 10.03 inches, set in 1996. (That same year and month, downtown Portland recorded 12.43 inches).
It’s possible the record falls very soon.
One-quarter to half-an-inch of rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, but the heaviest showers are expected to stay south of Portland. If they push northward, however, there’s enough precipitation in the forecast that “we should easily eclipse it,” Neuman said.
And, if not then, there’s one-tenth to a quarter-inch estimated for Wednesday.
Continuing our wacky weather, there’s a chance of snow (with little accumulation) beginning Wednesday and running through Friday.
All of which is to say: What’s going on?
The storm track “goes through cycles,” Neuman said. “We just hit one that was a little more extreme, relative to what we typically see in February.”
To be sure, this record-approaching rain hasn’t been kind. In recent weeks, the Portland area has seen landslides, flooding and sewage spills.
The good news, of course: March is right around the corner.
— Brad Schmidt
bschmidt@oregonian.com
503-294-7628
@_brad_schmidt
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