More hot and dry weather is expected to hang around the Pacific Northwest, exacerbating drought conditions that have gripped the region.
As of Aug. 23, every corner of Oregon, Washington state and Idaho is experiencing some stage of drought, from “abnormally dry” to “extreme,” according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor.
Overall, Oregon precipitation is averaging 86 percent of normal, while stream flows are averaging less than 50 percent of normal.
Capital Press
The result is a summer filled with wildfires belching smoke that has impacted air quality for days at a time, and low stream flows prompting water regulators to curtail deliveries in some basins.
The worst conditions appear to be in western Oregon, which is reeling from a historic lack of rainfall in some areas. The National Weather Service reports the city of Salem had gone 78 straight days without any significant rain as of Wednesday, and will likely break the record of 79 consecutive days set in 1967. Other parts of the region did get a few light showers last weekend and Monday.
Read the full article at Capital Press.