Whatever happened to April showers bringing May flowers?

After a wetter than usual winter, spring has essentially been one dry season, and no rain is in sight in the weather forecasts. With just one week to go in April in what is usually one of the more rainy months of the year, only 2 inches of rain has hit, according to Attleboro Water Department records.

There has been no rain in 10 days, and the last significant rainfall was 12 days ago, when .68 inches was recorded.

April often sees 4 inches of rain, and 7.3 inches fell last April, water department data indicates. The record-low rainfall for the month is .80 inches in 1985, the record high, 10.70 in 1983. March saw 5.4 inches - about an inch more than normal, but all but .21 inches of rain landed before spring arrived March 20. February had 7.3 inches - over double the average for the month. January was about an inch below normal.

As for temperatures, they are running well above what is typical for this time of year, meteorologists say. The thermometer hit 80 for the first time this year Saturday, and should reach 81 today and 76 Thursday, AccuWeather said. The high temperature Tuesday was 76 degrees, the water department said.

The extremely dry, warm and somewhat breezy weather has thus far sparked countless brush fires in the region, and fire officials don't expect the brush fire season to let up until mid-May. No major fires were reported on Tuesday, according to area fire officials.

Long-range forecasts indicate there could be rain early next week.