Monthly rainfall affirms collie weather prediction: Run and hide your heads

Whom do you believe now: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)... or Rainier Valley's own weather prognosticator, O'Doul the Collie?

NOAA predicted an El Niño (drier and warmer) winter for 2009-2010. The amount of hair O'Doul continues to shed says otherwise. The collie's owner Tony reports that the collie continues to shed his summer coat and the hair loss has not let up in late November. Meanwhile, rainfall in the greater Seattle area measured 9 inches this month -- a variance of 3.1 inches from the average 5.9 inches of precipitation in November. On Thanksgiving alone, 1.34 inches of rain poured down in Seattle.

Tony estimates that O'Doul has shed enough hair to fill three-fourths of a recycling bin. By comparison, Tony combed out enough hair to fill an entire recycling bin last month last year. The Seattle area experienced record snowfall.

So much for drier. Notice that the weather is getting colder.

Better dig out your snow shovel. Just in case.