What is it, girl? Did Timmy fall in the frozen pond?

"I never want to see a day that's over 40 degrees..." -- Snow Miser, The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)

With the daily temperature "highs" now hovering in the mid-40s, one might consider breaking out the baggy short, T-shirts and flip-flops. El Niño has come to the Pacific Northwest, and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) prediction of a mild winter has come true...

Not so fast, Brian Wilson: Seattle isn't "surf city" yet. December's overall weather picture suggests that you reconsider imbibing that funny white substance. From December 6 to December 13, the outdoor thermostat never climbed above 39 degrees. From December 5 to December 12, the daily "low" ranged from 16 to 28 degrees. The absence of precipitation saved us from last year's snow disaster... as if the brain trust at the city's Department of Transportation was equipped to handle snowfall.

While unusually dry, the Greater Seattle area saw precipitation of 0.43 inches (December 16), 0.41 inches (December 19) and 0.55 inches (December 21).

Local weather prognosticator O'Doul the Collie disputed NOAA's El Niño forecast earlier this winter. The amount of hair combed out of the canine's coat suggests the climate in the Pacific Northwest is more St. Olaf than St. Petersburg. In the O'Doul v. NOAA battle, the collie is kicking butt. And the shedding continues.