March 2026 Climate Summary

Key Messages: 

Temperatures were about 1-4°F above normal in the eastern half of the state and near normal in much of western Washington. Small areas of below normal temperatures occurred in the higher elevations of the northwest Cascades. 

March 2026 Snowpack and Drought Summary

Key Messages: 

On April 8, the WA Department of Ecology issued a statewide Drought Emergency  due to very low snowpack and summer water supply concerns.
As of April 1, our statewide snowpack is well below normal at just 53% of median. 

March 2026 Notable Weather Events

Key Messages: 

March 11-18 brought heavy lowland rain, windstorms, and mountain snows to western Washington.

Warm conditions led to early season snowmelt which cut into snowpack gains earlier in the month. 

Late March Climate Outlook

What’s Next for the Pacific Northwest?
Warmer and Drier than normal April conditions are likely in the interior West and small portions of Washington.
The Climate Prediction Center’s monthly outlook for April 2026 shows an increased likelihood that ridging over the western United States will bring drier and warmer than normal conditions to the region. 

Climate Matters: Mountain Snowpack and Streamflow

With Washington’s statewide snowpack as of March 5th ranking as the 3rd lowest since modern records began in 1985, questions have been coming into WASCO regarding the potential impacts on spring and summer streamflow. 

Early March Climate Outlook

Key Messages:

In the short term, cooler and wetter than normal conditions look likely for the next week or two. 

Predictability is low for the March 1-month outlook as well as the 3-month March-May outlook.  

February 2026 Snowpack and Drought Summary

Key Messages: 

As of March 3, our statewide snowpack is well below normal at just 53% of the median. Many individual stations are below 10th percentile snowpack for this point in the season.  

February 2026 Climate Summary

Key Messages: 

Temperatures were about 3-5°F above normal in the eastern half of the state and 1-3°F above normal in western Washington. Statewide, February ranked as the 24th warmest February since 1895.  

February 2026 Notable Weather Events

Key Messages: 

A warm spell kicked off the month, breaking numerous daily high temperature records.

Colder air arrived in the middle of the month dropping minimum temperatures into the 20s in western Washington and into the teens and single digits across much of eastern Washington.  

Late February Climate Outlook

What’s Next for the Pacific Northwest?
Wetter than normal conditions expected in March. A warm start to the month is likely.
The Climate Prediction Center’s monthly outlook for March 2026 shows 40-50% chance of above normal precipitation statewide.