Awaiting rain

Portland’s summers are a glorious thing. It’s the secret that many people don’t know; it’s bone dry and sunny for around three months each year. Normally this time of year the rains are in the forecast, slowly coming back as we officially move into fall and I dread it.

But not this year. This year I’m eagerly awaiting the rain and the change, this year has been a different summer, a difficult summer. We dried up early this year, in mid June rather than around July Fourth. And we’ve been hot, so hot.

Along with the heat came smoke. We had one week with several days over 100 degrees, thankfully not over 110 as predicted due to the thick haze of smoke that covered the city and kept temperatures down a few degrees. The wild fire season in the west has been difficult and long and it’s not over yet.

August was the hottest on record at PDX, our airport. And the heat has felt non stop. Instead of the warm afternoons with highs in the 80s, we’ve had days of highs over 90, even reaching over 100 several times, and the lows at night haven’t always gotten low enough to cool off the city.

As I sit here in September and I see rain in the ten day forecast, I’m excited, I can’t wait. I want it to rain, I want the rain to put out fires. I’m ready for fall.