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Rains help fill reservoirs, but warmer storms have put Oregon in a snowpack deficit

Following a three-year drought cycle, this August to November saw record warm temperatures for the region. Recent heavy rains have benefitted reservoir levels, especially in Washington, but a series of warm storms have led to a slow start to the snow season across Oregon and Washington. Precipitation deficits in central and southern Oregon have further limited snowpack growth. Engagement Climatologist with the Washington State Climate Office Jacob Genuise is quoted. 

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| Media Coverage

Flooding is a familiar foe on the Lummi Reservation

Floodwaters cut off two of three main roads in and out of the Lummi Nation last week, prompting the Lummi Nation to declare a state of emergency. There are not enough long-term gauges available in the basin to say for certain if flooding has changed historically, but this recent flooding event and major flooding back in 2021 have renewed concerns about future flooding vulnerability along the Nooksack. Washington State Climatologist Guillaume Mauger is quoted. 

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| Media Coverage

Oregon Ski Resorts Remain Close Amid Ongoing Rain

Given all this warm rain, it actually melted some of this snowpack and we saw a decline. “Region-wide, we’re seeing snowpack that’s sitting at the lowest on record for the region as a whole, at this point in the winter.” Engagement Climatologist Jacob Genuise is quoted. 

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| Media Coverage

Northwest just finished warmest fall on record, scientists report

Across the Northwest, a record warm fall and lack of snowpack going into the winter is putting more drought pressure on Oregon, Idaho, Washington and western Montana. Snowpack in the Northwest is sitting at the lowest level for the region as a whole at this point in the winter since record keeping began in 2001. Engagement Climatologist Jacob Genuise is quoted. 

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| Media Coverage

Washington infrastructure begins to fail as atmospheric rivers continue pummeling the state

Most levees and dams held up during the December flooding event, but some are showing signs of stress and a few have been breached. More intense river flooding is expected in the future because rising temperatures mean more precipitation is falling as rain as opposed to snow. A warmer atmosphere also causes more intense rain. State Climatologist Guillaume Mauger is quoted.  

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| December 2025, Newsletters, Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center

NW CASC’s Research Fellowship Program: Championing Early-Career Climate Adaptation Scientists for Almost a Decade

A researcher wades into a mountain river to install a structure that creates deep, cold-water pools for sensitive fish in the heat of summer. Another hikes through remote terrain to set up trail cameras that will share secrets about where elusive, snow-dependent species are present and where they are not. Meanwhile, states away, another researcher treks into a burned forest to see what is growing back after the flames. The thread that connects these endeavors? These are Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) research fellows, conducting projects to understand how species and ecosystems are being impacted by climate change, and what can be done to help them persist in our rapidly changing world. 

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| Media Coverage

Northwest floods offer sneak peek of hotter climate’s toll

Climate scientists say December’s back-to-back atmospheric rivers and extreme flooding offer a sneak peek into our warmer future. Although they can bring beneficial precipitation, climate scientists expect them to grow more powerful, arrive more frequently, and last longer as Earth’s climate keeps warming. Washington State Climatologist Guillaume Mauger and Director of the Northwest CASC Meade Krosby are quoted.  

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| Media Coverage

This week’s atmospheric river could be among longest on record

An atmospheric river is tearing through Western Washington this week, dumping massive quantities of water and flooding some areas in the region. If you feel like these climatological phenomena are hitting harder when they make landfall, you’re not alone. Some scientists think so too and figure our warming atmosphere and oceans might be at least partially to blame. Washington State Climatologist Guillaume Mauger is quoted. 

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| Media Coverage

‘GO NOW’ ordered for all of Skagit floodplain ahead of historic flood

This atmospheric river not only presents a slew of immediate dangers, but it underscores a growing risk for our region. Major floods are becoming more severe and expected to hit more frequently. Washington State Climatologist Guillaume Mauger is mentioned. 

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| Media Coverage

Is the Pacific Northwest ready for a wave of climate migration?

KUOW heard from more than a dozen families that said climate change was a driving factor in their decision to relocate to the Pacific Northwest. Climate migration is difficult to study, and even harder to predict, because a complex constellation of factors guides the decision to pick up and move. A literature review from the Climate Impacts Group is mentioned. 

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