Drought Information Statement for Eastern OR & South Central WA Valid March 19, 2025 Issued By: NWS Pendleton Contact Information: pdt.operations@noaa.gov This product will be updated if drought conditions change significantly. Please see all currently available products at https://drought.gov/drought-information-statements. Please visit https://www.weather.gov/pdt/DroughtInformationStatement for previous statements Please visit https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/ for regional drought status updates. Moderate Drought remains in portions of western Kittitas and Yakima counties with abnormally dry conditions in Central Kittitas and Yakima counties and northern Wallowa county Above to well above normal precipitation (110% to 200% of normal) in the Columbia Basin of WA and OR, and central and north central OR with near normal precipitation (90% to 110% of normal) in the rest of the area the past 30 days Well above normal snow water equivalent (105-215% of normal) reported in mountain snowpack in most areas, near to below normal snow water equivalent (80-100% of normal) in south central WA and the northern OR Cascades basins Precipitation is forecast to end drought conditions area-wide during the upcoming spring months 1 Drought intensity and Extent D2 (Severe Drought): None D1 (Moderate Drought): Western Kittitas and Yakima counties D0: (Abnormally Dry): Central Kittitas, west central Yakima and northern Wallowa counties All other areas are out of Abnormally Dry or Moderate Drought conditions U.S. Drought Monitor National Weather Service Pendleton, OR One-Week Drought Monitor Class Change Drought Worsened (1 Class Degradation): None Drought Improved (1 Class Improvement):None Four-Week Drought Monitor Class Change Drought Worsened (1 Class Degradation): Small portions of western Kittitas and northwestern Yakima counties Drought Improved (1 Class Improvement): Portions of northern Union and Wallowa counties. Image Captions: Right - 4 Week Drought Class Change Left - 1 Week Drought Class Change Data Courtesy U.S. Drought Monitor and Drought.gov Recent Change in Drought Intensity Above to well above normal precipitation (110% to 200% of normal) in the Columbia Basin of WA and OR, and central and north central OR Near normal precipitation (90-110%) along portions of the WA Cascades, southern Blue Mountains of OR and much of Wallowa county Highest precipitation amounts were 4 to 6 inches over the Cascade crest with 3 to 5 inches over the northern Blue Mountains of WA and OR Generally less than 2 inches in the lower elevations Image Captions: Right - Precipitation Amount for Pacific NW Left - Percent of Normal Precipitation for Pacific NW Data Courtesy Precipitation - Last 30 Days Image Captions: Right - Precipitation Amounts for Pacific NW Left - Percent of Normal Precipitation for Pacific NW Courtesy of Drought.gov Near to above normal precipitation (100% to 300% of normal) in the OR and WA Columbia Basin, the Blue Mountain Foothills, OR Cascades and portions of central OR over the last 120-days Near to below normal precipitation (25% to 75% of normal) in the rest of the mountains, north central OR and the Yakima and Kittitas Valleys over the last 120-days Pockets of well below normal precipitation (less than 25%) in the Ochoco-John Day Highlands and Wallowa county over the last 120-days Precipitation - 4-month (120-day) Precipitation Below normal temperatures (1 to 4 degrees below normal) in portions of the WA Cascades, Ochoco-John Day Highlands and Wallowa County for the last 7 days Above normal temperatures (1 to 3 degrees) in the Blue Mountain Foothills, central and eastern Columbia Basin and OR Cascades for the last 7 days Mostly near to above normal temperatures (-1 to 4 degrees) for the last 30 days except below normal (-1 to -3 degrees) in the Yakima Valley and above normal (4 to 6 degrees) in the central OR Cascades Greatest departures (4 to 6 degrees above normal) over the last 30 days were seen in the OR Cascades and in south central Yakima County during the last seven days (3 to 4 degrees below normal) Image Captions: Right - Temperature for Pacific NW Left - Percent of Normal Precipitation for Pacific NW Courtesy of Drought.gov Temperature - Last 7 and 30 Days Hydrologic Impacts Most basins have near normal streamflow (26th-75th percentile) Well below normal streamflow (< 10th percentile) is reported across the Upper Columbia-Priest Rapids basin Above normal streamflow (76th-90th percentile) is reported across the Upper and Lower Deschutes, Upper and Lower Crooked, Beaver-South Fork, Willow and Upper, Lower and Middle Fork John Day basins Snowpack Impacts Most snow telemetry (SNOTEL) monitoring sites show a near to well above normal snowpack (105-215% of normal). Snowpack values are 80-100% of normal in the WA and northern OR Cascades. There are no known impacts at this time. Agricultural Impacts There are no known impacts at this time Fire Hazard Impacts There are no known impacts at this time Other Impacts Washington: Washington Drought Emergency remains in effect for all counties east of the Cascades until April 2025 Oregon: No Drought Declarations are in effect as of this Drought Information Statement Mitigation actions Please refer to your municipality and/or water provider for mitigation information See/submit Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) and view the Drought Impacts Reporter Summary of Impacts Image Captions: Right - USGS 7-day average streamflow station map valid March 17, 2025 Left - USGS 7-day average streamflow HUC map valid March 17, 2025 Data Courtesy USGS Water Watch Main Takeaways The Upper Columbia-Priest Rapids basin has much below normal streamflow (below the 10th percentile) All other basins have normal stream flows (25th-75th percentiles) Impacts No known impacts at this time Reduced streamflow may be detrimental to aquatic species and recreational activities. Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts - Washington Image Captions: Right - USGS 7-day average streamflow station map valid March 17, 2025 Left - USGS 7-day average streamflow HUC map valid March 17, 2025 Data Courtesy USGS Water Watch Hydrologic Conditions and Impacts - Oregon Main Takeaways Above normal streamflows (76th-90th percentile) for the Upper and Lower Deschutes, Upper and Lower Crooked, Beaver-South Fork, Willow and Upper, Lower and Middle Fork John Day basins Near normal streamflows (25th-75th percentile) for all other basins except no data for the Silvies basin Impacts No known impacts at this time Reduced streamflow may be detrimental to aquatic species and recreational activities. Main Takeaways Mountain snowpack snow water equivalent reports are well above normal (130%-215%) across the central OR Ochoco-John Day Highlands, Southern Blue Mountain and Umatilla basins Near to above normal snowpack values (105%-130%) are seen elsewhere across the northern Blue Mountain, Union and Wallowa County basins Below to near normal snowpack values (79%-100%) are seen in south central WA and the northern OR Cascade basins Impacts No known impacts at this time Snow water equivalent is related to the amount of water stored in snowpack. Snow can affect the amount of available water for spring and summer snow melt. This can have impacts on water storage, irrigation, fisheries, vegetation, municipal water supplies, and wildfire. Image Captions: Oregon and Washington SNOTEL Current Snow Water Equivalent % of Normal Data Courtesy USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Daily Value as of March 18, 2025 Snowpack Conditions and Impacts Main Takeaways Near normal water supply (80-110% of the 1991-2020 normal) is forecast across most of the area for the April-September 2025 period Near to above normal water supply (100 to 130% of the 1991-2020 normal) is forecast over the northern Blue Mountains and in Union and Wallowa Counties Well above normal water supply (150-205% of the 1991-2020 normal) is forecast across the southern Blue mountains and the Ochoco-John Day Highlands Impacts No known impacts at this time Low reservoir levels would be expected to affect agriculture production, fish, and other aquatic species. Image Caption: Ensemble Streamflow Prediction Natural Forecast Data Courtesy NOAA NWS Northwest River Forecast Center Issued March 17, 2025 Forecast (% of Normal) Water Supply Forecast - April - September 2025 Forecast (% of normal) Main Takeaways Normal significant wildland fire potential (i.e., very low risk) for all areas March 2025 through June 2025 Significant wildland fires are expected at typical times (e.g., warm season) and intervals during normal significant wildland fire potential conditions Image Caption: Left - April 2025 Right - May 2025 Data Courtesy National Interagency Coordination Center Issued March 3, 2025 Fire Hazard Impacts - September through December A series of systems will bring rain and moderate high mountain snow to the area Wednesday night into weekend before warmer and drier conditions arrive next week. The mountains will get 1 to 4 inches of rain or as much as 8 to 15 inches of snow The lower elevations will get up to a half inch of rain Visit weather.gov/Pendleton for the latest weather forecast Image Caption: Weather Prediction Center 7-day precipitation forecast Seven Day Precipitation Forecast Main Takeaways Leaning towards above normal temperatures in all areas (70-90%) Leaning towards above normal precipitation in all areas (33-50%) Image Captions: Left - Climate Prediction Center 6-10 Day Temperature Outlook. Right - Climate Prediction Center 6-10 Day Precipitation Outlook. Valid March 24 - 28, 2025 6-10 Day Outlook Main Takeaways Leaning towards below above temperatures area-wide (40-50%) Leaning towards above normal precipitation area-wide (40-60%) Image Captions: Left - Climate Prediction Center 8-14 Day Temperature Outlook. Right - Climate Prediction Center 8-14 Day Precipitation Outlook. Valid March 26, 2025 - April 1, 2025 Image Captions: Left - Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Temperature Outlook. Right - Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Precipitation Outlook. Updated February 28, 2025 Main Takeaways for March Odds favor below normal temperatures (33-50%) area-wide Odds favor above normal precipitation (40-50%) area-wide Monthly Climate Outlook Image Captions: Left - Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Temperature Outlook. Right - Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Precipitation Outlook. Valid March-May 2025 Main Takeaways for March-April-May Odds leaning towards below normal temperatures (33-50%) in WA and far northern OR with equal chances of above, below or near normal in the rest of northeast OR Odds leaning towards above normal precipitation (33-50%) for most areas with equal chances of above, below or near normal in the eastern Ochoco-John Day Highlands and southern Union and Wallowa Counties Seasonal Climate Outlook Main Takeaways Drought is expected to end in the WA Cascades and after that, all areas will be drought free by the end of May Possible Impacts Reduced streamflows and reservoir levels may persist a while longer and this could result in possible reduction in agricultural yield, crop loss, and poor pasture conditions where irrigation water is not available. Image Captions: Right - Climate Prediction Center Monthly Drought Outlook Released February 28, 2025 Left - Climate Prediction Center Seasonal Drought Outlook Released February 28, 2025 The latest drought outlooks can be found on the CPC homepage. Drought Outlook