Washington State Drought 2015
Narrative updated 5/15/15
Reports updated weekly through Sept 24, 2015
A record warm rainy season (October through March) in WA State has caused the majority of our precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow in the mountains.
Climatic Averages and the Top Weather and Climate Events of 2014
With over a month of the New Year already behind us, we would like to review 2014 from a weather and climate perspective. Globally, 2014 ranked as the warmest year on record, but how did it stack up for Washington State?
Read moreHeavy Rain on January 4-5
Very heavy rain fell in western WA State on 4-5 January 2015. The 24-hour precipitation totals for the Pacific Northwest from 4 am (12 UTC) Sunday 4 Jan through 4 am Monday 5 Jan from NOAA are shown in Figure 1.
Read more21 August Thunderstorms in Okanogan County
Heavy rain occurred in Okanogan County on the evening of 21 August in the region of the Carlton Complex wildfire of earlier in the summer of 2014, leading to flash flooding and mudslides.
Read moreA Review of Winter 2013-2014
The predictions for the winter of 2013-14 included little consensus among the seasonal forecast models in August and September, but were hinting at dry winter conditions by October 2013. However, neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions were projected for the upcoming winter, resulting in a lack of a strong statistical signal toward below or above average temperature or precipitation anomalies for the winter as a whole.
Read moreRecent Precipitation near the Oso Landslide
A landslide occurred on Saturday, March 22 east of Oso, WA in Snohomish County that resulted in a tragic loss of life. At least a contributing factor related to this landslide was the anomalously heavy rainfall that occurred at the location during February and March 2014.
Read moreReview of 2013: Climatic Averages and the Top 6 Weather and Climate Events
With 2013 now in the books, we would like to review the year from a weather and climate perspective. First, the Washington State average temperature and precipitation during 2013 are presented, along with a comparison of this year to other years.
Read moreA Review of Winter 2012-2013
During September and October 2012, seasonal forecasts were indicating an increased likelihood of a drier and warmer winter than usual in Washington State due to the projected development of an El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
Read moreA Review of Winter 2011-2012
La Niña conditions prevailed in the equatorial Pacific Ocean for the second winter in a row. Cooler and wetter than normal conditions in Washington State are typically associated with La Niña episodes – did this past winter fit those expectations?
Read moreThe Western WA Snow and Ice Event of January 2012
The period of 14-19 January 2012 featured some heavy snowfall, and significant freezing rain, in the lowlands of western Washington. An overview of the meteorology behind this event, snowfall totals, and some of the local impacts of the week of wintry weather will be explored in this newsletter highlight.
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