It's still a bit chilly outside, though not unpleasantly so, and I can hear frogs croaking along the small stream the runs through the shallow vale a hundred yards east. Their song is lending the winter evening a springlike air, which will probably recur each evening as long as the mildness lasts. According to the forecast that should be for at least the next ten days. In fact there is something of a mini-head wave coming up, with a high of 58 degrees expected on Thursday. Rain remains possible for seven of those next ten days, so the frogs should be happy.
The late storm was quite wet, with several places in the region receiving near record rainfall for the date, though so far only Modesto set a new record. The day is not over, though, so more records could fall this evening. Sadly, the storm due tomorrow, and the one on Friday, will be too warm to bring any appreciable snowfall, even at the highest elevations. In fact rain might erode the snow that has already accumulated in many places, so boo for warm storms. It's annoying to have our snow accumulation thus interrupted.
The best thing about the milder weather is that my heating bill now has a chance of being smaller next month than it was this month, unless it turns colder again. I don't think a smaller utility bill is a good trade-off for a smaller snowpack, though. I really want to see the reservoirs filled again, and only lots of snow can accomplish that. If colder temperatures mean that I have to lower the thermostat and scrimp on other things to pay the bill, but we get lots of snow, so be it.
I want to get this entry posted before the rain returns and my Internet connections melts away again. It might be mostly or entirely gone tomorrow, and I don't know how long it will take for AT&T to get around to checking my line, but it's supposed to be dryish on Wednesday and Thursday, so I should be back then even if I'm cut off tomorrow and repairs have not been done. But I hope they can deal with it before Friday. Unreliable Internets has become something I don't want to ever put up with. And fifteen years ago I didn't even have Internets. How soon one becomes dependent.