YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPOKANE QUARTERLY REPORT Vol XXIX Issue 3
The Weather Watcher
Of the Inland Northwest
www.weather.gov/Spokane September 2024
Fall Outlook 2024
The Climate Prediction Center CPC Seasonal Outlook for September-November 2024 is leaning toward equal
chances to slightly above normal temperatures and equal chances to slightly above normal precipitation for the
Inland NW.
As for fire season, the threat should be decreasing. The National Interagency Coordination Center suggests that the
Wildland Fire Potential Outlook will be near normal for September- November 2024.
ENSO Update - La Niña Watch
The latest Climate Prediction Center CPC Discussions states that ENSO-neutral is present and expected to continue
in the near future, with La Niña favored to emerge during September-November (66% chance) and persist through
the Northern Hemisphere winter 2024-25 (74% chance during November-January). Additional perspectives and
analysis are also available in an ENSO blog.
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Summer 2024 in Review
It was a warmer and drier than normal summer for the Inland NW. For Spokane, the summer finished in 3rd place for
the warmest summer, while Lewiston came in at 7th place. Portions of the Columbia Basin were exceptionally dry.
Ephrata came in with 2nd driest, with only 0.07” of rain for the entire summer. Priest Rapids Dam received only a
trace, also coming in as 2nd driest. Below are Climate Maps showing the Departure from Normal Temperature and
the Percent of Normal Precipitation from June through August 2024.
Meteorological summer began looking like fall, as a very late season atmospheric river took aim at the region
bringing rain and gusty winds on June 2nd and 3rd. Stevens Pass picked up over 3” of rain, Sagle and Priest River
near 2”, while Pullman picked up near 1”. Dirty Face Mountain above Wenatchee gusted to 78 MPH, while
Wenatchee, Pullman, and Lewiston gusted to near 50 MPH. Thunderstorms enhanced the winds even further around
Ritzville damaging several trees at a campground. On the 11th, windy conditions occurred across the region, as well
as a strong thunderstorm that tracked from Coulee City to north of Odessa. The storm produced dime to nickel sized
hail. On the 15th, windy conditions occurred yet again with a strong cold front with gusts near 50 MPH in Ephrata
and Kettle Falls. Gusts near 45 MPH were recorded in Rathdrum, Spokane Airport, and Washtucna. Colder
temperatures followed with freezing temperatures in some spots, including 26°F in Wilbur, 30°F in Moscow, and 31°F
in Chewelah and Davenport. The remainder of the month brought quieter weather, except over northeast Washington
and the Idaho Panhandle with several rounds of showers and
thunderstorms. On the 27th, storms in Colville produced heavy rain
with 0.81” resulting in standing water on roads, with flooding of a
business. On the 30th, thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree in
the Millwood area of Spokane.
July brought the heat to the Inland NW, with a long duration heat
wave from the 7th through the 22nd. Omak reached 100°F or
warmer during this entire stretch, setting a new record for the
longest stretch of consecutive days reaching the century mark.
Lewiston reached 100°F or warmer for nearly this entire stretch as
well, except on the 15th. In terms of the July average temperature,
Mazama came in with the hottest July on record, while Winthrop
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and Lewiston recorded the 3rd hottest July. Besides the heat, there were a couple thunderstorm events during the
month as well. On the 17th, outflow winds from a thunderstorm contributed to a brief dust storm around Ritzville. On
the 22nd, thunderstorms started several fires near Tonasket. On the 24th, thunderstorms brought abundant lightning
from the Blue Mountains into the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, Palouse, and Central Panhandle Mountains. Lightning
started the Gwen Fire, which burned numerous structures in Julietta. The storms also knocked out power to
approximately 600 residents in Kamiah with wind gusts in the area ranging from 45-55 MPH.
August started off where July left off with more triple digit heat on the 2nd. Lewiston reached a toasty 111°F,
breaking a record for the date. But then the pattern changed bringing a relief from the heat for most of the month,
along with several rounds of scattered showers and thunderstorms. Areas along the East Slopes of the Cascades,
up near the Canadian border, and the Idaho Panhandle were the most frequent receivers of needed precipitation.
On the 6th, a strong thunderstorm near Hunters toppled several trees onto Highway 25. On the 10th, gusty outflow
winds from a thunderstorm damaged a mobile home roof near Deer Park, and knocked down numerous trees in
Hauser. On the 11th, thunderstorms in Mazama brought heavy rain and a debris flow on the Cedar Creek Burn Scar.
On the 17th, a stronger weather system brought more widespread thunderstorm activity to the region. Some storms
were drier and produced new fires while others brought needed moderate rain. On the 23rd, slow moving
thunderstorms produced heavy rains in Wenatchee that led to a flash flood with reports from the Chelan County
dispatch office of water flowing out of manhole covers and flooding streets. On the 24th, another deep low pressure
system tracked through Central Washington, with heavy rain in the Methow and Okanogan Valleys, setting several
records. Winthrop received 1.78” of rain on the 24th, making it the wettest August day
on record. At the Wenatchee Airport, the high temperature only reached 60°F which
tied for the coldest August high temperature on record. Omak’s high of 59°F was the
coldest August high temperature since 1992. Finally, on the 27th, a strong cold front
delivered windy conditions and blowing dust across the Columbia Basin. Peak wind
gusts include 51 MPH at Douglas, 49 MPH Wenatchee Airport, 46 MPH for Lewiston
and Spokane,, and 45 MPH in Ephrata. Jeremy Wolf
Trivia Question: What is the average first day of the first snowfall in the Inland NW?
Drought
Due to the heat and lack of rain over the last few months, drought
expanded across much of eastern WA and allowed it to persist in north
Idaho. The U.S. Drought Monitor depicts Abnormally Dry (D0) to Moderate
Drought (D1) in most areas with pockets of Severe (D2) to Extreme (D4)
Drought in the lee of the Cascades and the central ID Panhandle. The U.S
Seasonal Drought Outlook indicates potential improvements in the coming
months across WA while drought is expected to persist in north Idaho.
Drought Information Statements are available for the Inland NW and
describe the various drought impacts, including the lower yields from wheat
crops, loss of pasture lands, and lower than normal streamflows.
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Report Drought Conditions
Remember, there are ways that you can help report any drought-related impacts in your area. It’s
called Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR). Scan the QR code to the left to learn more
on sharing your drought conditions. Likewise CoCoRaHS can share drought reports as well!!
Fire Weather Review
Fire season 2024 got off to a slow start with the
wet and cool late Spring weather. Although when
the July heat arrived, fuels cured quickly. Passing
storms with abundant lightning in addition to
unfortunate human causes led to numerous fire
starts across the Inland NW. A few fires expanded
and will still be a concern in the months and years
ahead due to the threats of post-fire flooding and
debris flows. These large fires include: the Pioneer
along Lake Chelan and Stehekin, Swawilla on the
Colville Reservation, Gwen in Nez Perce county,
and Cougar Creek in Asotin county and account
for over 130,000 acres burned in the region. NWS
Spokane provides daily fire weather updates to its
partners through fire season.
Although fire conditions will be slowing across the
Inland NW in September, parts of Oregon and
southern Idaho remain active and
areas of smoke may be a concern
for the following weeks. For the
latest fire information, see the
National Fire News from the NIFC
web site.
Cold weather products
The NWS is simplifying its suite
of cold weather products to
improve messaging of these
hazards, which will include the
terms Wind Chills and Freeze
hazards. Anticipate to hear more
on Extreme Cold Watches,
Warnings, and Advisories during
the cold season.
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Staff Updates
There are several staff updates to share! Laurie Nisbet and Steven
VanHorn were both promoted to Lead Meteorologists at NWS
Spokane in August 2024. Originally from Spokane, Laurie first joined
the NWS and started in Eureka, CA. Then she moved to NWS
Missoula in 2002 as a Meteorologist before arriving in Spokane, WA in 2005. Steven
began his NWS career at NWS Los Angeles / Oxnard, CA before coming to Spokane
as a Meteorologist in 2009. Together, they have decades of experience of the weather
and hazards of the Inland NW!
Kelly Butler will be the new Science Operations Officer at NWS Spokane. Kelly is
currently a Meteorologist at NWS Wichita. She earned a double major in Applied Math
and Atmospheric Science at Lyndon State College, then attended Ohio University for
her Masters. Kelly joined the National Weather Service in 2018
Alex Cooke has been a summer virtual volunteer for NWS Spokane. While residing in
Ohio, he assisted the NWS Spokane by providing daily briefings and lending a virtual
hand during thunderstorm events. He also worked on a fire weather study for the
office. He is finishing up his Meteorologist degree at Mississippi State and hopes to
find a job with the National Weather Service. Congratulations and best of luck to
Laurie, Steven, Kelly, and Alex!
Weather Spotter & Observer
Corner
Another round of Weather Spotter and Observer training will be scheduled for October
and will focus on cold season hazards. Keep an eye on the NWS web page for the
updated training calendar. Remember, we do offer recorded and online training options
on the NWS Spotter Resources page. If you are interested to see where your storm
reports go, check out this Local Storm Report page.
Trivia Answer: The average (mean) first snowfall varies by location and elevation. Included the earliest dates too!
The snowfall is for a Trace or more.
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Fall Safety messaging
As the seasons change to fall, it’s a great time to
prepare for the additional weather hazards,
including fog, dust, wildfire smoke, and even the
first snow of the season. It’s good to remind all that
preparing for emergencies and disasters can keep
them, their families and their communities safe.
Preparing your home, family, and vehicle is also
important. Talking about bad things that could
happen like a disaster or emergency isn’t always
easy. We may think we’re protecting the people we
love by avoiding these conversations, but it’s
important to start taking steps to get ready and stay
safe. Make a plan. Plan an Emergency Kit. There
are many resources available including the FEMA
ready.gov web page.
Basic Emergency Kit
● Water (1 gallon per person/day)
● Food (non-perishable)
● Battery Powered/NOAA Wx Radio
● Flashlight & Batteries
● Warm clothes (hat/gloves/jacket/etc)
● Blankets
● First Aid KIt
● Whistle
● Moist towelettes
● Garbage bags
● Wrench or pliers
● Manual can opener
● Pocket knife
● Local paper maps
● Cell phone & charger
● Soap/ Hand Sanitizer
● Any medications
● Pet food and supplies
● Cash Money
● Important documents
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