It’s dry across the Northwest, but just how dry is making many take note. Marilyn Lohman, meteorologist with the National Weather Service said when it comes to precipitation deficits:

  • Wenatchee: 1 ½”-2”
  • Yakima: 2”-2 ½”
  • Pullman: 2”-3”
  • Tri-Cities: 3”
  • Central Oregon [Bend/Redmond]: 3”
  • Spokane: 5”

“But there is an area stretching from central Oregon through much of south-central and across eastern Washington that’s only gotten about 25%-50% of normal," Lohmann noted. "This is the largest precipitation deficit I’ve seen in 20 years.  You know, we have a lot of the area that has been included in D-3 and D-4, you know, the Exception Drought areas.”

Lohmann added the drought of 2021 is not like the drought of 2015, which was a snowpack drought; this year is a lack of rain. Lohmann said it’s still too early to say what records will be set when it comes to rainfall or lack thereof. But she’s confident 2021 will be discussed for years to come.

“Just the overall dryness of the entire year and the well above normal temperatures extending back way before the heat wave even started in late June.  I think we’ll see some records come of out of that, by the time we get to the end of the year.”

Lohmann said it doesn’t look like this weather pattern will change anytime soon, with above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation expected over the next week or two. She added, another batch of extreme heat could move into the area starting Tuesday of next week.




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