Just How Dry Was The Summer?

Story Published: Mar 13, 2008 at 1:13 PM PDT

Story Updated: Mar 13, 2008 at 1:13 PM PDT

By Steve Pool

SEATTLE - According to our new state climatologist Phillip Mote, this summer will go down as Washington's driest in a century -- if you factor in the whole state.

The state's rainfall for June, July and August was 70-to-85 percent below normal -- the driest since about 1895. Many places in Eastern Washington didn't get any rain during those three months.

Statewide, we received just 1.09 inches of rain this summer -- about 3 inches below normal. The next driest was 1.43 inches in 1919.

In Seattle, we received 0.89 inches during those three months, a quick shower over the record driest 0.84 inches received in 1987.

Temperatures were about 2 degrees above normal, good for sixth-warmest in the past century.

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KOMO Weather

Current Temp 61 °F

Partly Cloudy

Wind : From the North at 12 MPH

Humidity : 67 %

Pressure : 30.18" (1022.5 mb)

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Traffic Alert

North Cascades Highway (S.R. 20) is closed due to high avalanche danger through the weekend. Crews will return on Monday to assess road conditions. The state DOT advises drivers to check mountain pass conditions for all passes before leaving this weekend.

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