The Winter of 2006: In Like A Duck – Out Like A Squirrel

Let’s say you were the general manager at what’s left of one of our TV stations. A new weather guy shows up from Hawaii just before airtime, and you have 1 minute to tell him what winter weather is like in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s what I’d say:
Rain – Warm. Clear – Cold.
Isn't that about 90% of it?
That is why I’m calling this winter pretty much over. It is the 18th of February as I write this. We are in the middle of one of two or three winter weather events we get a year, and it’s not that bad. The current cold spell just means it’s stunningly beautiful out there, but cold. Later this week we’ll be back in the 40s through 50s range. It might take some drama to get there but once that’s over it’s on to the end of February.
In other words, it’s practically March already.
This winter was a joke. January was one long warm rain, and this cold snap is as clear and beautiful as it gets. We could still wind up begging for mercy in an Arctic Clampdown: Covered with ice - buried in snow. I’m just saying the patterns don't suggest that will happen. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still “Mr. Winter of 2006, sir.” But it won’t be long before we can start seriously trash-talking this thing. I sense victory here.