Currently in Portland — June 30, 2023: Get ready for a beautiful weekend!

The weather, currently.

We've made it through another week! (Just about ;)

And for some folks it's going to be a long weekend, too. The weather appears to be cooperating with most weekend plans, whether you're camping, barbequing, or just laying low at home. Temps are staying right about where they've been all week, with highs in the mid 80s and overnight lows dropping to the mid 50s. Aside from a bit of breeze on Saturday night, the weather should be blissfully uneventful.

Enjoy it while it lasts, because next week we'll be heating up further, and likely get hot enough to get even sun-lovers wishing for a few clouds in the sky or a refreshing sprinkle. That also makes it a good time to finish any gardening or other outdoor tasks before the heat gets any more intense.

As usual, I've got a variety of watering stations out for the critters. My exparament using a solar fountain is so far a success and Project Attract Butterflies has already brought several swollowtails and a monarch to the yard.

Have a great, safe weekend!

— Stella Harris

What you can do, currently.

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Our annual summer membership drive is underway — with a goal to double our membership base over the next six weeks which will guarantee this service can continue throughout this year’s hurricane season. We’ll need 739 new members by July 31 to make this goal happen.

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Thank you!!

What you need to know, currently.

For the first time in nearly four years, the state of Colorado is drought-free.

Last May, drought covered more than 93% of the state. That number is now down to 0%, according to the latest Drought Monitor. This is great news for a state that has defined the western drought for decades, complete with wintertime wildfires, decimated snowpack, and a plunging Colorado River.

The turnaround is not without its downsides, of course. Waves of severe weather, hailstorms, and flooding have struck the Denver metro area in recent weeks with more than 200% of normal rainfall so far this year.

The next three years are critical for the future trajectory of Colorado, and of the entire Colorado River basin, as federal officials have begun a process to renegotiate with states on new rules governing water use over 250,000 square miles (650,000 sq km).

In the future, large scale rewilding efforts to reintroduce wolves, beavers, and other keystone species of healthy wetlands in the Rocky Mountains show promise if coupled with efforts to phase out water-intensive industrial-scale agriculture and ranching in these sensitive areas.

—Eric Holthaus