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CLEAR Temp: 59 °F Wind: NE at 6 mph Monday, May 19, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend April 16, 2003 Heavy snowfall in the mountains of Southern Oregon covers Pilot Rock, seen from the Mount Ashland access road Tuesday. Though it�s been a wetter-than-normal spring, hydrologists say it could take two years of good rain to fully recharge aquifers . Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Spring showebr-r-rs Weather holds a hint of winter, leaving the Rogue Valley cool and wet in April By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Winter continues to toy with spring in the Rogue Valley, dumping more rain than normal and making for continued cool temperatures. The Medford office of the National Weather Service reports temperatures have been two degrees below average for April, and more than twice as much rain has fallen for the month than normal. More showers are expected in the near future, said Chuck Glaser, a spokesperson for the Medford weather center. After two years of drought, Jackson County at 19.59 inches has a bit more rain than it gets in a typical year. "If the rain stopped falling today, we’d still be in good shape," said Glaser. Last water year, measured from Sept. 1, 2001, to Aug. 30, 2002, 16.18 inches fell, below the average 18.86 inches. In 2000-01, only 9.68 inches were tallied in Jackson County. Hydrologists say it could take two years of good rain to fully recharge aquifers in Jackson County, which were sucked down during the drought, causing some wells to go dry. Despite the rainfall, the snowpack at Crater Lake is below average, with 105 inches reported, compared to the normal 114. April’s cooler temperatures come after a winter that was generally warmer than normal. In January, temperatures averaged 44.2, compared to the typical 39.1; in February, temperatures averaged 43 degrees, compared to 43.5 normally; and in March, the average was 48.6 degrees compared to 47.1. Glaser said the hottest day recorded so far this spring was March 30 at 78 degrees. The hottest day this month so far has been April 8 at 72 degrees. The region should have showery weather in the short term with continued cool temperatures, he said. Long-range forecasts — something Glaser doesn’t put a whole lot of stock in — predict a slight chance that Jackson County’s temperatures could be higher than normal for the next three months. The area should continue to get appreciable rain for about the next two months, he said, before the arrival of summer. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S