Our Afternoon Heat Comes Later
Editor’s note (08/13/2025 4:30pm): Time of day was previously shown in standard time on the graphs below, in error. The graphs and text are now updated to Pacific Daylight Time.
One of the things I really appreciate about living here is how late it stays light out.
Climatology of the Northeastern Washington Climate Division (#9)
In this edition of Climate Matters, we return to our Climate Division series in which we describe the local climate features in each of Washington’s 10 climate divisions, as defined by NOAA.
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Trends in the Timing of Spring Across Washington
There are a truly dizzying number of ways to measure the start of spring: Is it when lilacs start blooming and grapevines begin to leaf out? Or is it that first warm day of the season when local parks fill up?
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Has it seemed cold and snowy during February in recent years?
Some folks have been remarking on how often it has been cold and sometimes snowy in February during the past decade or so. In part this can probably be attributed to the just-completed February of 2025, which has been the snowiest month of the winter for much of the state, especially at lower elevations on both sides of the Cascade Mountains.
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Study Review: Trends in Flooding for Washington State
As we head into the flood season we thought we would dig up a USGS study from a few years back that took a look at past trends in floods (full citation below).
Read moreNew Visualization: Updated PNW Temperature, Precipitation, and Snow Water Equivalent Trend Tool
OWSC, in partnership with UW’s Climate Impacts Group, is pleased to announce that our new Pacific Northwest Trend Analysis tool is now available for exploration: https://climate.washington.edu/climate-data/trendanalysisapp/. An older and outdated version of this tool using the Google Maps interface was formerly the most popular tool on OWSC’s website, allowing users to select and view trends in the PNW for temperature, precipitation, and snow water equivalent.
Read moreIs Winter Coming Later to Washington State?
The Office of the Washington State Climatologist sometimes receives questions about whether the timing of the seasons has shifted. Ken Kunkel and collaborators have examined how the length of the growing season has changed across the lower 48 states, and others have documented the changes from a regional perspective (e.g., Abatzoglou et al., 2014 and the Climate Impacts Group).
Read moreTrends in Lowland Snow in Washington State
Most readers of this newsletter are probably aware of the warming of winter temperatures in Washington state. In specific terms, from near the end of World War II to the present, average winter (November through February) temperatures have increased by about 2 degrees F.
Read moreLong-term Trends in Spring Temperatures and Recent Conditions
If you’ve been a resident of WA State for only the last two years, you may be under the impression that summer comes early around here. The springs of 2015 and 2016 have been abnormally warm and dry for a majority of the state, lending a hand to this misimpression.
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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.
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