Hot, dry conditions across Inland Northwest straining water supplies

Our current dry spell in the Inland Northwest has been raising concerns about water use. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, most of Eastern Washington and North Idaho is currently under “severe drought” conditions.

As of early Tuesday, the Spokane International Airport has only received 0.07 of an inch of moisture since June 1. Average temperatures are running close to 10 degrees above normal thanks to a very strong ridge of high pressure that has dominated the western U.S.

The extreme heat and dryness have led to sizable wildfires in Wenatchee and the current blaze near Bayview, along with other smaller ones, as well as dozens of others from Alaska to Mexico.

In late June, the Department of Ecology in Washington reported a dramatic drop in streamflows because of drought conditions and the snowpack’s early melt-off. The department said “43 percent of rivers statewide are now running at record low levels.” If dry conditions continue, irrigators may face water cutoffs or restrictions.

In North Idaho, despite the dry conditions, water levels are still in pretty good shape. That could change if this drought persists into 2016. Right now, many forecasters believe that heavier-than-normal rainfall will move into western U.S. by late fall thanks to a relatively strong El Nino, the warmer than normal sea-surface temperature event in the south-central Pacific Ocean.

During El Nino years, especially the strong ones, the western U.S. often receives above normal moisture as upper-level weather patterns change. It’s possible that this region may go from severe drought to flooding rains, as was the case in Oklahoma and Texas during the spring.

However, based on the latest long-range computer models, it appears that we should receive some moisture across the Inland Northwest later this month as that high briefly nudges to the east. One storm system may bring us some much-needed rainfall this weekend. Let’s hope we get moisture and not the dry lightning from thunderstorm activity.