Oregon Climatologists Share Insight Into Year’s Water Supply

As Oregon’s snowpack melts off, forecasters look ahead to summer. The entire Pacific Northwest has experienced warmer-than-average temperatures since the start of the water year in October.

Climatologist Karin Bumbaco says nearly all of Washington is under a drought declaration … but Oregon is faring much better. Most of the state’s reservoirs are where they need to be for this time of year.

"Really, the only areas that are showing up with some concern are the Gerber reservoirs and the Wickiup & Crescent Lake. And this is holdover from about 3-4 years of drought conditions, but still better than what these reservoirs had last year," Bumbaco stated.

Overall, Oregon’s snowpack was about 104 percent of average this winter, which will help summer streamflows.

But Amy Burke, at the Northwest River Forecast Center, worries about rapid melting. "We’ve had some recent warm spells that have begun to melt that snow off." She predicts hotter and drier than average conditions through July.

Burke also says streamflows will be reduced this summer.

A section of central Oregon - just under five percent of the state is considered in moderate drought … while nearly 29 percent is considered abnormally dry.