After a very wet October, a record warm November and cold December, the 2017 water year has gotten off to a wild start.

 

Assistant Washington State Climatologist Karin Bumbacco said average temperature end up around normal, and as far as precipitation, it was, “Much wetter than usual from October through December. That period ranked about 11th wettest on record.”

 

Bumbacco said December had days with temperatures that were as much as 20 degrees below normal in some areas around Washington.

 

National Weather Service’s Brent Bower said they don’t expect much precipitation through the rest of January, but February should have some chances for snow and rain.

 

A little bit deeper into the spring and after the end of the winter time, what it’s not showing is a quick warm up or at least no signal of a quick warm up or any particularly dry period for the spring.”

 

Last year April and early May were so warm that it melted much of the snowpack away and created challenges later in the season.

 

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