Spring Break
Oregon as usual -- wet, wet, wet
DD Bixby
Barometer Staff Writer
As in most years, October started warm and dry, and ended drenched and chilly.
According to state climatologist George Taylor, the rest of this year is going to be fairly predictable.
"We'll probably get one more big cold even -- but nothing remarkable," Taylor said.
The average rainfall last year was 44 inches in Corvallis, and anywhere between 5 and 200 in the rest of Oregon.
"We're most likely going to get the standard rainfall in the first half of winter, and above average in the second half," Taylor said, but he speculates the Willamete will be slightly above average.
Taylor also indicated Oregon is being hit by a very weak El Niño, or a warmer than usual weather pattern travelling up from the Pacific islands.
While there's nothing to indicate a lot of flooding this year, Taylor said that it's always a possibility -- especially coastal areas.
There's also nothing to indicate we'll be having any snow days this year either, the climatologist said. Because it's usually too warm if it's wet enough, and too dry if it's cold enough, snow is very rare in the valley, he said.
While Taylor feels confident about his prediction he does caution that climatology is still an inexact science.
Weather is subject to a lot of large scale factors that can determine and change the out come.
Perhaps the best cautionary advice is to remember you're in Oregon now and an umbrella is standard gear.
DD Bixby is a staff writer covering city news for the Daily Barometer. She can be reached at 737-2231 or at baro.city@studentmedia.orst.edu.
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