Climate Matters | Washington State Climate Office

Jun 8, 2022 | Climate Events, Climate Matters, Ecology, El Niño/La Niña and Global Climate Oscillations, Marine

Cool Waters off the Coast of the PNW and in the Puget Sound

We have enjoyed a cool spring in WA state and perhaps it is no surprise that regional ocean temperatures are also on the cool side. A sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly map for a 7- day period near the end of May 2022 (Figure 1) shows negative anomalies off the coast of the Pacific NW, and in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (more about the latter below).

Apr 8, 2022 | Climate Matters, Climate Review, Rain and Snow, Temperature

Climate Classification of Washington State

Any Washingtonian can tell you that different areas of the state experience vastly different climates. But what terms can we use to describe those climates? Where are the boundaries between one climate and another?

Mar 8, 2022 | Climate Matters, Climate Review, Drought and Soil Conditions

PNW 2021 Water Year Impacts Assessment Released

The second annual Pacific Northwest (PNW) 2021 Water Year Impacts Assessment was released a few weeks ago. This was a regional collaboration involving researchers and state and federal practitioners, sponsored by the NOAA National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), and led by OWSC.

Feb 7, 2022 | Climate Matters, Marine

Real-time Monitoring of the Climatic and Oceanic Forcing of the Waters of Puget Sound

Under the auspices of the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP), with the support of the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), a real-time system named the “Puget Sound Metrics Dashboard” has been developed to keep track of leading climatic and oceanic factors impacting Puget Sound’s water properties.

Jan 12, 2022 | Climate Matters, Ecology

How Do Plants Affect the Climate?

Washington – or at least, those parts of it not situated in rain shadows – is known for its greenery hence the nickname of the “Evergreen State”. The pervasive rain and mild temperatures allow plants to thrive during the rainy season.

Dec 8, 2021 | Winds

Strong Winds in WA over the Years

Daily temperature and precipitation data are available going back many years, and are generally used to summarize the variability in the climate, including long-term trends. There are other aspects of the weather and climate that are interesting and important, however, but are often more difficult to procure and are not widely disseminated.

Nov 5, 2021 | Climate Change Report, Climate Matters, Flooding and Streamflow

Sea Level Rise Projections and Visualizations

On October 31st, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) began in Glasgow, Scotland. There, the parties to the Paris Agreement are expected to ramp up their commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions so that the world may prevent some of the worsening effects of climate change.

Oct 8, 2021 | Climate Matters, Climate Variability, Seasonal, Temperature

A Different Way to Visualize Maximum and Minimum Temperature Distributions

Mean temperatures are often used to characterize the climate on time scales of weeks to millennia, but they are not the whole story. Belaboring the obvious, the variations in temperature also matter.

Sep 10, 2021 | Climate Matters, Drought and Soil Conditions, El Niño/La Niña and Global Climate Oscillations

La Niña Redux and the Present Drought

There are indications that La Niña may be present in the tropical Pacific during the upcoming winter of 2021-22 (see the “Climate Outlook” below). This was the case during the past winter of 2020-21, and more often than not, La Niña events come in pairs.

Aug 5, 2021 | Climate Matters, Extreme Heat, Humidity

Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures during the 2021 Heat Wave

As must be well known by all the readers of this newsletter, the Pacific Northwest suffered through a severe heat wave at the end of June 2021. In association with extreme geopotential heights aloft and thermally-induced low pressure near the surface, many all-time temperature records were set.