Statewide Drought Declared

[Solstice]

Unfortunately, as of today (4/16), the Department of Ecology has declared a drought emergency for most of Washington. As chances for significant additions to the state's snowpack diminish, there is simply not enough water contained in mountain snow and reservoirs to prevent serious impacts for water users in the months ahead.

With many watersheds already projecting low water supplies and planning for emergency water right transfers, Ecology declared an emergency drought declaration to make assistance available before those impacts become severe.

Streamflows in many basins are already below 75% of normal. Forecasts for April through September have Chelan River streamflows at 52% of normal, while the Stehekin, Methow and Okanagan rivers are forecasted to have 59% of normal streamflows.

Added to those low streamflow predictions, climate predictions for April through August point to generally warmer and drier than normal conditions throughout Washington.

A different kind of Spring so far.

[Solstice]

According to a weather outlook bulletin released Thursday (4/18) by the National Weather Service, we’re in for a hot start to summer. The highest probabilities of an extra-hot onset to summer are found in the Northeast, Washington state, New Mexico, south Texas and southern Florida.

If I'm reading NOAA's outlook maps for May-July correctly, our portion of WA State has a 60-80% probability of higher than normal temperatures and a 30-40% probability of lower than average precipitation for those months.

I'm not sure why Mother Nature is picking on WA State. Some warm weather will feel good in April, but be aware and be careful as the summer season progresses.

[Reapward]

Thanks Jim. All the more reason for communities and individuals to make their properties as Firewise as possible. We know this kind of forecast is a warning for us to heed.