Western Oregon is in Drought Officially!

[Redlo Nosrep]

I'm just kind of stunned to see that western Oregon has all that yellow shading on the latest Drought Monitor map:



I grew up in the Eugene/Springfield area and spent the first 15 or so years of my married life there and in Grants Pass and Salem before relocating to Washington.

I always had webbed feet and moss growing in my hair when I lived there, and it was UNTHINKABLE that the phrases "drought monitor map" and "western Oregon" would ever be linked together.

What are you experiencing there, boots on the ground???

[eyewall]

1. The rains start in one week.

It's been dry but I can't complain. Weather has been beautiful, never got too hot and we've had lots of sun. I don't think it's that far off from what we had last year.

The forecast shows rain starting next Wednesday. Probably will rain for about seven months from that point.

edited: I'm in Portland.

[DreamGypsy]

2. We're abnormally dry...

...but not really a drought.

Here's a summary for Portland and Salem from the Oregonian.

I am outside of Springfield and we're still irrigating the blueberries about 3hr/week just to ease them into dormancy. The water level in the McKenzie is about normal despite the dry spell. The slough at the side of the property still has water and we have seen years when it was dry by late August.

The morning temperatures have been just below freezing a couple days this week (this morning was 30 F., 28.8 F below canopy, but about 86F now).

The rains will come.

[cascadiance]

3. Seems like we've had a lot of "brush fires" the last few weeks in NW Oregon where this dry area is..

One reason I moved away from San Diego area was to move away from the fire dangers that were growing down there with our increasingly "climate changed" world... Looks like it can't be completely avoided... The rain coming this week will be a welcome change!

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/10/new_fires_flare_in_northwest_k.html

[Redlo Nosrep]

4. Well, That Yellow Shading Has Oozed Now Into Washington, Too

My area around Chehalis is now officially "abnormally dry."

But not for long, I hope. Here's an excerpt from the "Special Weather Statement" from Accuweather just posted:

IF THE FORECAST MODELS ARE CORRECT...THIS WILL BE THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT STORM OF THE SEASON. SOME FORECAST MODELS SHOW SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN IN THE MOUNTAINS WITH SHARP RISES EXPECTED ON THE RIVERS. THE OLYMPICS MAY SEE 4 TO 8 INCHES OF RAIN THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...WITH 2 TO 5 INCHES POSSIBLE IN THE CASCADES. AS FOR THE LOWLANDS...THE COAST MAY SEE 1 TO 4 INCHES...WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE INTERIOR.

[0rganism]

5. twas dry as a farking bone for a couple months, but that's about to change

i'm seeing a lot of wet out my window right now, and there's more on the way. Excellent, we need every drop.