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 -1.1°F below normal and precipitation totals were above 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.
Read moreOctober Notable Weather Events
The month kicked off with a decent rain event across western Washington followed quickly by a late-season warm spell from October 6-10. This warm spell brought what were very likely the last 70°F days of the year for most, if not all, locations across the state.
Read moreMid October Climate Outlook
What’s Next for the Pacific Northwest?
Wetter than normal conditions most likely November through January.
The Climate Prediction Center’s monthly outlook for November 2025 brings continued uncertainty in temperatures, although most of the western and south central United States are likely to be above normal.
Climate Matters: Haven’t there been a lot of La Niña winters lately?
Many regular readers of this column are aware of the effects of La Niña, and variations in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in general, on the overall weather of the Pacific Northwest during the cool season.
Read moreEarly October Climate Outlook
A La Niña Advisory was issued by the Climate Prediction Center on October 9 indicating that La Niña conditions are currently in place. La Niña conditions are the most likely scenario now through December-January-February.
Read moreSeptember 2025 Climate Summary
September 2025 was the warmest September on record in Washington back to at least 1979 and likely the warmest on record back to 1895*. Temperatures were +5.7°F* warmer than normal when averaged statewide.
Read more
Join us for the PNW Water Summit
WHEN: November 4, 2025 7:30 am-4 pm PT (8:30 am to 5 pm MT)
WHERE: In person at Boise State University or Limited Virtual
Please register by October 30 to ensure an accurate catering count.