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U.S. Department of Commerce logo and link to site Climate of 2002 - June
Northwest Region Drought

National Climatic Data Center, 15 July 2002

NOAA logo and link to site

Parts of interior Oregon and southern Idaho experienced severe short-term dryness during June, adding to the long-term moisture stress as measured by the Palmer Hydrological Drought Index. According to the USDA, 45% of Oregon's pasture and range land was rated in the poor to very poor category by early July.

According to the Water Availability Committee of Oregon, dry soils across much of the state absorbed a sinificant part of the snowmelt, resulting in low reservoir inflow. Several counties had requested extension renewal of state and USDA (federal) drought designation, and wheat crops in north central and northeast Oregon were reported to be struggling this year (6/20 EONow).

Precipitation Ranks for the
Northwest Region , 2001-2002
Period Rank
Jun 47th driest
May-Jun 24th driest
Apr-Jun 47th driest
Mar-Jun 41st driest
Feb-Jun 26th driest
Jan-Jun 36th driest
Dec-Jun 48th driest
Nov-Jun 49th wettest
( 59th driest)
Oct-Jun 53rd wettest
( 55th driest)
Sep-Jun 44th driest
Aug-Jun 45th driest
Jul-Jun 48th driest
Northwest Region precipitation departures, January 1998 - present
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Northwest Region Palmer Z Index, January 1998 - present
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Northwest Region precipitation, May-June 1895-2002
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Northwest Region Palmer Hydrological Drought Index, January 1900 - June      2002
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Graphic showing NOAA logo NCDC / Clim. Monitoring / Climate-2002 / Jun / U.S. Regional Drought / Search / Help

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