Rain

Steady showers moved across Maryland this morning, and forecasts are still showing there could be more where that came from late this afternoon. Relatively cool temperatures could keep the most severe storms at bay, though. A quarter of an inch of rain fell at BWI Marshall Airport between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. It followed 0.19 inches of rain Thursday at the airport. At The Sun's weather station at Calvert and Centre streets downtown, 0.28 inches of rain fell starting after 6:30 a.m. The heaviest rainfall was recorded between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., at a rate of 1.35 inches per hour.

The National Weather Service is calling for Tuesday to be rainy in the Baltimore area, with a high near 63 degrees and south winds of 6 to 10 miles per hour. The chance of precipitation is 90 percent. Tuesday night is expected to be cloudy, with a low around 51 and south winds 6 to 8 miles per hour becoming northwesterly. The chance of precipitation is 50 percent. Wednesday is expected to be rainy, with temperatures falling to around 46 by 5 p.m. and north winds between 7 and 9 miles per hour.

Will this week's Groundhog Day bring another round of misery to Maryland? Although forecasters aren't calling for heavy snow, a developing storm is likely to bring at least sleet and freezing rain to the area beginning Monday night. Brian Lasorsa, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said the Baltimore-area will see only "light accumulations" of snow, but added that "the big impact will be the ice. " Lasorsa said flurries could start Monday night and turn into freezing rain Tuesday, which could refreeze, making roads icy. Forecasters are calling for a 60 percent chance of precipitation to start Monday with between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

In your April 17 editorial, "The 'Rain Tax' Sham," you take rain tax critics to task for failing to get their facts straight. You write: "That critics can't even accurately describe when the tax was passed should tell you all you need to know about how carefully they've considered the issue. " Yet, elsewhere in the same editorial you state that Maryland's rain tax law "requires Baltimore and the 23 countries to set a fee to pay for such things as storm drains…" In fact, Maryland's rain tax statute applies to Baltimore and only nine counties, not 23. So, by your own standards, doesn't the fact that you can't even accurately describe how many counties are covered by the tax tell us all we need to know about how carefully you have considered the issue?

On December 4, 2004, AIDLA (nee Sznajderman); beloved wife of Santiago Rain; beloved mother of Ignacio (Maria) Rain, Sara (Steve) Gulin and Richard (Sue) Rain; beloved sister of Amalia Zeitune; loving sister-in-law of Sara Migdal. Also survived by grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. Services at Sol Levinson & Bros, Inc., 8900 Reisterstown Road at Mt. Wilson Lane on Sunday, December 5 at 12 noon. Interment Oheb Shalom Memorial Park, Berrymans Lane. Please omit flowers.

The start of tonight's opening game of the American League Division Series between the Orioles and Yankees was delayed by rain. The Orioles have announced that game should now start at approximately 8:40 p.m. It was initially scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m.  

An overnight chance of rain was expected to stretch into Thursday morning, with skies clearing later. Highs are forecast in the upper 60s. The chance of morning showers is about 40 percent, according to the National Weather Service. A low of 50 is expected Thursday night. Friday is forecast to warm to the lower 70s under sunny skies. Rain is in the forecast for the weekend, potentially a few inches in total, according to the National Weather Service.

Due to continual rain in the forecast, the Orioles-Toronto Blue Jays game scheduled for this afternoon was canceled after a 22-minute delay before the first pitch. Forecasters predicted the rain would remain constant for at least two hours following the scheduled game time. It was the last scheduled spring contest between the two American League East teams. The next time they meet will be the Orioles' regular-season home opener on Friday, April 9 at Camden Yards.

Reading about the rain water tax, I see that government buildings do not have to pay this tax. The government evidently knows how to keep their runoff from causing pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Why not tell the rest of us the secret so we can keep our rain water from being contaminated and the Bay will quickly become pristine clean? Believe that and I'll tell you another one. Mary Chesney Schwind Cockeysville