Sea Level in WA during El Niño Winters
As readers of this newsletter are aware, the tropical Pacific is currently in an El Niño state. Such conditions in the tropical Pacific have usually, but not always, been accompanied by relatively warm winters in the mean for the Pacific Northwest.
Read moreSummer in Review: Increased Number of Hot Days
2015 has so far been much warmer than normal for Washington State, with January through August ranking as the warmest on record. The summer (defined as June through August) was also warm and set records as the warmest summer for the state, with temperatures 4.5°F above the 30-yr (1981-2010) normal when averaged statewide (Fig.
Read moreThe Yacolt Burn of 1902
This summer has included the largest fire (the Okanogan Complex) in WA state history and the most acres burned since at least 2002. The vast majority of wildfires in WA occur east of the Cascade Range crest but that is not the only part of state that can face a serious threat.
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Minimum Temperatures on the Increase in Summer
OWSC is receiving a large number of inquiries about the hot weather this summer and whether it is due to global climate change. The short answer is no, and the recent weather should be thought of as a short-term climate event.
Read moreThe Warm Month of July 1985 for Washington State
This month represents the 30th anniversary of the hottest month on record for WA state – July 1985 – in the last 100 years. In recognition of the relatively warm temperatures that have prevailed in this neck of the woods during the last couple of years or so as well as the record warm June 2015 temperatures, it seems appropriate to review the weather of July 1985.
Read moreThree Flavors of Drought in the PNW
With the topic of drought the focus of numerous local and national news stories of late – whether it’s the current Pacific Northwest (PNW) drought, the devastating multiyear California drought, or the torrential, drought-ending rains in Oklahoma and Texas – it is a good time to review a paper published in 2010 by current and former OWSC staff on different “flavors” of drought in the PNW.
Read moreExtreme Precipitation Events in Washington State during the month of May
One year ago (May 2014), this newsletter included a piece on the historical record of extreme short-term precipitation events in Washington state, with a focus on whether there were any noticeable trends in the frequency and intensity of these event.
Read moreMarch Snowfall in the Lowlands of Washington State
The subject of this piece may be cruelly ironic, given the lack of much cold weather and snow during this winter. On the other hand, perhaps some of the material here will represent a sort of comfort somewhat akin to that sought by fans of the Chicago Cubs.
Read moreTop 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 moreClouds in Washington State in Winter
Judy Garland was quoted to have said, “Behind every cloud is another cloud”. The residents of Washington state can appreciate that statement during winter. A map of the mean number of cloudy days in January for the US is shown in Figure 1, and indeed the Pacific Northwest is the cloudiest part of the country, with only a few regions around the Great Lakes reaching the values observed across Washington, Oregon and much of Idaho.
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