Oregon is experiencing the most widespread drought since March 2022. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 88.3% of the state is experiencing some level of drought.
“This is normally the time of year when things tend to dry out for much of Oregon, but the level of dryness we’re seeing is rather historic,” said Oregon Water Resources Department hydrologist Cameron Greenwood. “And that’s primarily being driven by the above normal temperatures we’ve been observing over the water year in addition to below normal precipitation and well, well below normal snowpack.”
Nearly all of Oregon is experiencing drier than normal conditions, and 57.6% of the state is experiencing severe or extreme drought.
And forecasts call for current conditions to continue in the months ahead.
“The Climate Predictions Center’s outlook for the rest of summer and even into fall and winter is favoring above-normal temperatures with a pretty mixed outlook for precipitation with the developing El Niño,” said Greenwood.
30 of Oregon’s 36 counties are experiencing drought somewhere within their boundaries, and 21 have received drought emergency declarations.
Greenwood added that, while the area appears locked into a recurring pattern of drying climate, such conditions do change periodically, and the state may find itself back in a wet pattern in the coming years.
