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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 2, 2006 Jerry Klug of Crooked River walks his beagles, Lillybelle (left) and Dooley, Wednesday in Medford�s rainy Alba Park. B Mail Tribune / Jim Craven One soggy stretch Valley’s amount of rainfall in December and January is two-thirds of an entire year’s worth By BILL KETTLER Mail Tribune Even the dogs are tired of the rain. Jerry Klug has to coax his two beagles out for their daily exercise. "They’re not water dogs," Klug said Wednesday as he walked with Dooley and Lillybelle through Medford’s sodden Alba Park. "The only thing they like about rain is drinking from the puddles." Southern Oregon’s persistent rain has been wearing on Klug, too. His job brought him to Southern Oregon for a few weeks, and it’s a different world from the arid Crooked River country north of Bend that he calls home. "Every day we have to look at Bear Creek to make sure our RV doesn’t float away," he quipped. "The noise (of the falling rain) keeps you awake." Advertisement It’s Klug’s bad luck to find himself in the midst of one of Southern Oregon’s wettest winters in recent memory. For the two months that ended Jan. 31, 12.19 inches of rain fell on Medford — two-thirds of the normal annual average of 18.37 inches. Many areas of Jackson County have recorded at least 20 inches of rain during the past two months, and there have been 35 days with measurable rain since Dec. 1. The gray skies and nearly constant moisture have been a surprise for newcomers like Shane Dana, who moved from Florida to work with his dad in Gold Hill. "It’s overwhelming," Dana said as he strolled down Main Street in a light drizzle. "We have thunderstorms in Florida. It never rains like this." "It keeps you from doing things you really have to do," said L. Morrison as he stood under his umbrella waiting for a crosswalk signal to change. "It’s a good thing I like to write. It gives me something to write about." Sunny days have been downright rare since Thanksgiving. For December and January combined, there have been just four clear days, according to data compiled by the National Weather Service office in Medford. Occasional wet spells in a Southern Oregon winter are nothing new, but back-to-back wet months are exceptional. Weather records have been kept here for 93 years (since 1912), but there have been just four December-January periods with more rain than the 60 days between Dec. 1, 2005, and Jan. 31, 2006. Two of those wet spells (in 1955 and 1964) are remembered for major floods. Flooding also occurred in January 1997, and again at the end of December 2005, but the two most recent floods caused only minor damage compared to the high water of ’55 and ’64. George Taylor, Oregon’s state climatologist, said there may be a break in the rain next week, but he expects the general wetness to continue through the end of March. Taylor said the current winter has all the earmarks of La Ni�a, the weather phenomenon that’s the opposite of El Ni�o. El Ni�o typically brings dry weather to the Northwest, and is generally associated with warmer water temperatures in the equatorial regions of the Pacific Ocean. La Ni�a usually brings heavy rains to the Northwest, and it’s generally associated with colder water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. Taylor noted that this winter bears a strong resemblance to the winter of 1995-96, another La Ni�a year in which heavy rains pounded much of the Northwest. Folks who don’t know an El Ni�o from a La Ni�a are just trying to take the weather in stride. "It could be worse," said a Medford woman who identified herself only as Patty. "It’s better than not having enough water. When I lived in California I went through water rationing three times." Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492, or e-mail One soggy stretch ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement