Weathercatch: Did region get a million-dollar rain last week? Also, intense heat on the way

Something unusual happened on June 12, 14 and 15.

It rained.

This was unusual because we were emerging from a historically warm, dry spring and the pattern was holding steady into June. Consequently, much of eastern Washington and north Idaho were under severe and extreme drought. Starting on June 12, several storm systems rolled through the region, releasing a total of 0.43 of an inch of rain.

Was it enough to pull us out of an early-season drought? While the welcome rain nourished lawns, crops and gardens, it will take substantially more than a few hit-or-miss rainfalls to pull the region out of the remarkably dry conditions.

The round of storms were largely the result of a plume of water vapor called an atmospheric river that flowed from the tropical Pacific Ocean to the Pacific Northwest. The most notable precipitation fell in the coastal areas of Washington and Oregon, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The lesser precipitation deposited on Washington’s eastern half and into North Idaho weren’t enough to alter the region’s drought conditions, the agency stated. Counties that remain under severe or extreme drought include Spokane, Whitman, Walla Walla, Franklin and Latah.

But let’s get back to that much-needed rainfall. The first round passed through the Inland Northwest on June 12 when 0.07 of an inch fell in Spokane. The next system delivered a dramatic display of lightning on the night of June 14 but only a trace of rain at Spokane International Airport. Early the next morning, a brief tempest of rain and hailstones pelted parts of the Inland Northwest and a lighter rain fell that afternoon, bringing an additional 0.36 of an inch of precipitation to Spokane on that date.

The total amount of 0.43 of an inch that fell during this mid-June stretch still leaves us well below normal for the month of June. Assuming we receive no more rain this month – which appears likely – this year’s March through June interval will approach the driest March through June on record, set back in 1924.

Not surprisingly, this week’s sizzling temperatures are drying out soils and vegetation even more and further exacerbating concerns of a volatile wildfire season.

The bright spot in this scenario is that things could be far worse. With persistent triple-digit temperatures, California and the Southwest are the bullseye for heat and worsening drought conditions. Las Vegas recently reached 113 degrees for five days in a row. Phoenix hit a record high of 118 degrees, beating its previous record of 114 set in 2015. And the desert playground of Palm Springs reached an all-time record of 123 degrees.

Here in the Inland Northwest, the worst of the heat is likely to arrive this weekend and linger into June’s final days. Some locations may topple records as a ridge of high pressure stays anchored over the Western U.S.

Although temperatures in our region won’t come near the extreme highs that recently surged through Las Vegas, Phoenix and Palm Springs, conditions could still turn dangerous. To stay safe in the heat, drink more water than usual, take cool showers or baths and use plenty of sunscreen outdoors. And please, be careful not to spark a fire.