Spring Comes to Cambridge

Forecast: A minimum of beach days this spring.

Everyone ranging from the official U.S. Weather Bureau to Rhode Island's favorite rheumatic Yankee, predicted last night that today and yesterday are just typical examples of what the weather will be like until at least June 1.

According to the annual records, there are usually at least ten or 12 days during April and May warm enough (75 degrees) to allow sunbathing and swimming at local beaches. Not so this spring, a Weather Bureau official said yesterday.

"We only predict a month ahead," he said, "and for that time anyway it's going to be below normal (43 degrees) with plenty of rain."

The less conservative Old Farmer's Almanac agreed but emphasized the wet weather. The book's prediction for the coming month reads "heavy rains and bad floods."

The best of New England's instinct forecasters Elisha R. Bitgood, of Hope Valley, R.I. completely condemned this year's spring. "Cold and wet," the 75-year-old farmer predicted, "with some snippy-snappy days."

The only consolation was offered by the Almanao which suggested that Patriot's Day April 19, was going to be "nice." After that, however, Memorial Day, May 30, will be "rainy, so-so for fishing."