Heat and Fire Weather Concerns in the West

Heat will build over the Intermountain West and the Southwest the next couple of days. Lightning from dry thunderstorms can create new fire starts and combined with gusty winds may cause a fire to rapidly grow in Oregon and northern California. Elevated fire weather conditions are also expected in the Great Basin. Flash flooding will be possible in Arizona and west Texas, especially in burn scars. Read More >

A very noticeable pattern change took place throughout May compared to April and March as very warm and dry weather prevailed. This led to a reversal from pretty widespread areal flooding due to the rapid melting of an area-wide deep snowpack in April to a very dry pattern with flash drought conditions developing through the month. Rainfall was below average everywhere, and for some places, several inches below average. Ashland recorded the driest May on record! Temperatures were also several degrees above average everywhere. As a result, rivers and streams are starting to fall below normal levels.