Significant Heat in the Northwest U.S.; Tropical Rainfall Potential in the Southwest U.S.

A significant late season heat wave continues in the interior Pacific Northwest for at least one more day before easing somewhat Friday into Saturday. A combination of monsoonal moisture and tropical moisture ahead of tropical cyclone Lorena will bring a marginal to slight risk of excessive rainfall across the southwest U.S. through Saturday which may bring areas of flooding. Read More >

It was a very dry July across the Northland. Nearly every place observed below normal rainfall, and in many cases several inches below normal with totals only 25% to 50% of normal! It should come as no surprise that drought conditions have worsened regionwide, with widespread moderate to severe drought and a few pockets of extreme drought. Temperatures were generally a degree or two below average for the month. There were some hot days mixed with average and below average temperature days.

The CPC outlooks for August and the next three months do not suggest a clear trend for temperatures or rainfall. There are equal chances for above, below, or around normal temperatures and precipitation. With that, drought conditions are expected to persist into the foreseeable future even if rainfall trend towards average.