The Pacific Northwest’s warm and abnormally dry conditions this spring and summer may worsen as El Niño settles in the region this fall.
That’s the assessment of meteorologists and climatologists including Karin Bumbaco, Washington’s assistant climatologist, who said precipitation and streamflows are below normal in most of the region.
“Some drought impacts are starting to emerge for Western Washington … earlier than what usually happens in the summer,” she said during a webinar Monday hosted by National Integrated Drought Information System, the Northwest Climate Hub and the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute.
