Good month for frogs

Sure you're ready for the rain to stop — but don't be selfish about this.

Think of your fellow frog.

While persistent precipitation has dampened human spirits around Puget Sound, Northern red-legged frogs and long-toed salamanders have been reveling in rain-swollen lakes and ponds.

The hearty amphibians started breeding in mid-January, and females are laying more eggs than usual after bulking up on a bounty of snails, slugs and other wet-weather goodies, said Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife research scientist Marc Hayes. An abundance of standing water means fewer eggs will dry up and die before hatching.

"This is the kind of weather that's absolutely terrific for amphibians," he said.

January was the third-wettest month on record for Seattle, with 11.65 inches of rain. The top spot is held by January 1953, which brought 12.92 inches. The winter of 1952-53 was also distinguished by a record-setting 33 consecutive days of rain.

Our recent 27-day streak fell short — but still reached near-biblical proportions. Noah's ark, remember, launched after 40 days and 40 nights of precipitation.

"Every time we get close to beating the record, it has been pulled away from us," said University of Washington meteorologist Cliff Mass. "But any way you look at it, this was an extraordinarily wet month."

Only two January days were rain-free at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's official weather station. Even then, some areas got a sprinkling or more, said National Weather Service meteorologist Johnny Burg.

"It's just been one storm after another, with no break."

Dennis Paulson is looking forward to a population explosion of dragonflies.

The insects lay their eggs in shallow ponds and lakes, explained Paulson, director emeritus of the Slater Museum of Natural History at the University of Puget Sound. In recent years, many of those water bodies, especially in Eastern Washington, have shriveled up before the larvae could mature. Some species of waterfowl, like pintail ducks, have also been losing their marshy breeding grounds.

"I'm hoping a lot of these basins will be filled in by all this rain," Paulson said.

A wet winter usually means a bountiful spring, added University of Washington bird biologist John Marzluff.

"This ought to be a fabulous year for salmonberry, thimbleberry, huckleberry."

To Marzluff, that means bird food, particularly for struggling species like the Swainson's thrush.

Mushroom lovers are also smacking their lips in anticipation.

It is possible to have so much rain that it inhibits the growth of fungi, said Ron Post, president of the Puget Sound Mycological Society.

But generally, rain in January coupled with a robust snowpack means a bumper crop of boletes, matsutakes and morels. The Cascade snowpack is about 150 percent of normal, according to the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center.

"When people complain about the rain, you'll always hear mushroomers say: It's a good thing," Post said with a laugh.

Rain is generally also a good thing if you're in the business of helping people keep water out of their basements and crawl spaces.

But Jack Calvo, president of Perma Dry Waterproofing in Renton, is getting to the point where even he is hoping for a breather.

"We have been so inundated with rain that it's tough to keep up."

If you call today with water seeping into your basement, it will be five weeks before Calvo's crews can get to you. And that's working 10 hours a day, six days a week.

"The tough part is seeing what has happened to some people's homes," Calvo said. Five inches of water in the basement isn't unusual. He's encountered crawl spaces flooded with up to 4 feet of water. The worst was a house where storm water had overwhelmed the sewage system.

"Use your imagination," Calvo said. "I don't want to say anything more."

Andy Acres answered the phone at his business, Rain City Gutters, only because his van was in the shop for transmission repairs.

Every other day, he's out in the rain, repairing or replacing gutter systems.

Even though temperatures for the month were consistently above normal, it hasn't been pleasant, Acres said.

He wears a yellow fisherman's hat to keep the water from dripping in his face. But no matter how blustery the conditions, he can't wear gloves.

"You've got to handle the gutters directly."

In his spare time, he plays soccer — in the rain.

"It's better than working," he said, "because you're running."

None of the seasonal forecasts predicted January's relentless rains, Mass pointed out. But computer models suggest the end is near.

A strong windstorm could be headed into the state over the weekend. After that, things look much drier.

"Basically, we go from winter to spring in February," Mass said.

Sandi Doughton: 206-464-2491 or sdoughton@seattletimes.com