Climate Matters: The CoCoRaHS Rain Gauge Network and a Tale of Two Hydrologic Extremes
On November 14-15, 2021, 4.67” of rain fell at Bellingham International Airport, setting a new record for that location. This storm brought with it the most devastating flood that Whatcom County has seen in decades.
Read moreEarly December Climate Outlook
Key Messages
La Niña conditions remain in place, likely returning to neutral conditions by January-March.
December’s outlook indicates a slight chance of wetter than normal conditions in eastern Washington, but high uncertainty overall.
Read moreNovember and Fall 2025 Climate Summary
Key Messages:
November temperatures were above normal statewide (7th warmest since 1895) with the largest departures from normal across the Columbia Basin and northeastern Washington.
Precipitation was below normal across the Pacific Coast, central and southern Cascades, and southeastern Washington.
Read moreNovember 2025 Drought and Snowpack Update
Key Messages:
Snowpack is currently below normal in all major basins across the state
Storms were warm, bringing mostly rain instead of snow. Drier than normal conditions occurred across the Olympics and portions of the southwestern Cascades which limited snowpack growth.
Read moreNovember Notable Weather Events
Key Messages:
Temperatures were above normal statewide due to both mild daytime maximums and mild nighttime minimums.
Atmospheric river events on November 1-3 and 5-8 brought heavy rainfall to western Washington.
Late November Climate Outlook
What’s Next for the Pacific Northwest?
Colder than normal conditions most likely December through February. Wetter than normal conditions across eastern Washington.
The Climate Prediction Center’s monthly outlook for December 2025 shows slightly increased chances of cooler than normal conditions across the northern half of Washington.
Climate Matters: Water Year 2025 in Review
Water year 2025 is complete, and it’s time to take a look back and see how WA stacked up historically. The 2025 water year includes the 12 months from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025, as opposed to the usual calendar year.
Read moreEarly November Climate Outlook
A La Niña advisory is in place meaning that La Niña conditions are present in the tropical Pacific Ocean. This year’s La Niña is on track to be a fairly weak event, in line with forecasts made earlier in the season, and will likely return to neutral conditions by the January-March period (56% chance).
Read moreOctober 2025 Climate Summary
Statewide, October temperatures were near normal (-0.6°F below 1991-2020 normals) and precipitation totals were 109% of normal. Temperatures were 2-4°F below normal across the Cascades and 1-3°F below normal across much of eastern Washington and the Olympic Mountains.
Read moreOctober 2025 Drought and Streamflow Update
On October 6, following near-record warm and dry conditions and three years of declared drought in the Yakima Basin, the Department of Ecology issued a complete halt of surface water use in the Yakima Basin.
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