FINALLY. U.S. Drought Monitor Drops Severe Drought For Washington State

The reality on the ground has finally started to change the minds of the U.S Drought Monitor folks.

Until this week, the NOAA/US Department of Agriculture staff had severe drought over portions of eastern Washington (orange color in the right image below).  But this week, they only have a moderate drought.  

This week                                              Last Week

Severe drought was inconsistent with what has been happening on the ground for a long time.   But even moderate drought seems problematic with the cool, wet spring.    Specifically, the drought monitor plot shown above, indicating moderate drought or abnormally dry in eastern Washington, is inconsistent with their own guidelines (shown below).

For example,  their own guidelines suggest that moderate drought is associated with streamflow percentiles of 11-20%  and abnormally dry has 21-30%  (50% would be exactly normal...with as many period above or below).

What are the observed, current river percentile (see below)?  Above 50% in most of the "drought" area.  No evidence of drought...just the opposite.

I could provide other parameters, but it is clear that eastern Washington is really in a good situation regarding moisture.

And not only have we been wet, but temperatures have been below normal:  for example,  Sunday was 10-15F below normal over much of the region.  Cold enough the Paradise Ranger Station, located around 5000 ft ASL got several inches of snow (see below).

The upcoming week will remain cooler and wetter than normal, with the particular focus of the heavier rainfall over the northern Rockies (see predicted accumlated precipitation through next Monday morning).  Importantly, BC and northest WA will get a piece of the action.

A major issue keeping our weather wet and cool will be the development of a remarkable low pressure/trough areas off our coast (see map for next Satruday below).  The purple color indicate much lower pressure/heights than normal.