By Rod Hill on 2015-10-02

Portland's water year, (October 1st-Sept. 30th), ends with a deficit of just over 4.00 inches.  All of the deficit has come since April and piled up the months of April, May and June which led in part to the horrible fire season.  The pattern over the last 12 months did hold to my prediction last fall of total precipitation being within 4" of a normal departure.  Here are the numbers:

PDX TOTAL RAINFALL:  31.96" / Normal is 36.03" /  Deficit:  -4.07"

DRIEST WATER YEAR ON RECORD:  2000-2001"  23.00"

WETTEST WATER YEAR ON RECORD:  1996-1997:  58.68"

This year's up-coming El Nino Winter has an historic track record of producing near normal or above rainfall for Portland and near normal snowfall on Mt. Hood.  However, it is possible that Cascade snow levels will be unusually high again this up-coming season, meaning we would see rain at 6,000 feet not snow - let's hope not!  

Rod Hill