March showers?

The calendar says it's just shy of two weeks until spring officially begins but this week's forecast is saying something different.

Through Friday there's a chance of rain every day in Brainerd, according to the National Weather Service in Duluth. The best chance will be Tuesday night and through Wednesday, when there's a 60 percent chance of rain.

High temperatures are expected to be 43 to 48 degrees on Tuesday, 38 to 43 degrees on Wednesday, 37 to 42 degrees on Thursday and 40 to 45 degrees on Friday.

The historical average high for the first eight days in March is 33 degrees. This year in March the high temperature has been an average of 42.8 degrees. On Sunday it was 47 degrees in Brainerd.

The six- to 10-day outlook shows temperatures above normal, said Kevin Donofrio, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth, while the 10- to 14-day outlook shows temperatures at normal, which is about 35 degrees.

"There's nothing to indicate there will be any significant cool down coming," Donofrio said. "What we know is we're not going to have a batch of sunshine around for a while."

Because of a slow melt-off and low rivers at the end of the 2009 summer Donofrio said he didn't expect there to be a danger of flood with the rain. He also said what rain will fall will not amount to much.

"That will be a mitigating factor," Donofrio said. "River levels are holding pretty good right now."

MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch. com or 855-5857.