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Hoping for a normal fall

Editorial comment focuses on the passing of a summer of extremes1

It may only be six days into September but there has been a comforting familiarity about it.

Getting some of what we expect is good after the strange summer we’re just saying goodbye to. Talk about feast or famine!

With June and July weather that had folks wondering whether to plant grass or rice, we’ve since gone drop-less, or virtually so.

What stands out with particular clarity are a couple of occasions from a month or so back. July 17 is the specific date many will not forget.

With the rivers already lapping ominously toward flood (and beyond flood) stage, we were subjected to a downpour of near Biblical proportions. Columbia Avenue looked like a river in its own right.

It was thankfully over within the hour but in that hour there was probably 100 times more precip than we’ve seen since.

Everyone was likely relieved to see the rivers drop.

So let’s settle in now and enjoy some cool evenings and pleasant (not sizzling) afternoons, and hope that the weather is sort of like we expect it to be. Mind you, judging by the tires observed on a whole lot of vehicles spotted over the past couple of months, there were a lot of folks expecting snow. Let’s hope they’ve got a bit of traction left for when they need it, but let’s also hope it’s not next week.