GENERAL OUTLOOK

October 1, 2000

Precipitation and Temperature Summary

The month of September was wetter than normal across the Washington Cascades, eastern Oregon, southeast Washington, central Idaho, and southern British Columbia. Elsewhere across the region,

precipitation was at or below normal. Temperatures were below normal across most areas.

Early and very late in September, a mean trough of low pressure positioned across the region brought cool and showery conditions. During the rest of the month, a drier weather pattern developed

across the region as the main storm track shifted north of the United States- Canadian border.

Pacific northwest mean temperatures departed -0.8 degrees from normal relative to 1961-1990 normals (31 stations). Mean temperature departures ranged from -3.2 to 1.2 degrees.

Record high temperatures reported during the month of September:

101 at Boise on the 14th, 94 at Helena on the 15th, 95 at Great Falls on the 15^th,

93 at Butte on the 15th, 96 at Pocatello on the 15th, 94 at Pocatello on the 16^th,

101 at Brookings on the 18th, 98 at Brookings on the 20th, and 79 at Olympia

on the 26th (tie).

Record low temperatures reported during the month of September were as follows:

On the 9th, 40 was reported at Wenatchee.

On the 22nd, Kalispell dropped to 22.

On the 23rd, the following records were broken: 22 at Spokane, 26 at Olympia,

31 at Wenatchee, Lewiston, and Eugene, 32 at Salem, 36 at Astoria, and 40 at Portland.

On the 24th, records lows included 22 at Pocatello, 32 at Eugene, 33 at Pendleton,

and 35 at Wenatchee.

On the 25^th, Redmond fell to 19.

Daily precipitation records which were broken during the month of September both occurred on the 30th. Lewiston and Missoula report .82 and .59 inches respectively.

For September, precipitation is:

116 percent of normal (1961-1990) at Columbia above Coulee,

113 percent of normal at the Snake River above Ice Harbor,

and 122 percent at Columbia above The Dalles.

For the water supply season, precipitation is:

100 percent of normal (1961-1990) at Columbia above Coulee,

85 percent of normal at the Snake River above Ice Harbor,

And 96 percent at Columbia above The Dalles.