2012 the second-driest summer on record in Eugene
EUGENE, Ore. - Barely any rain fell in Eugene in July, August or September, the National Weather Service said, contributing to extreme fire danger across the region.
All of Western Oregon is under a red flag warning through Thursday evening.
That means forecast winds and humidity leave the region primed for the rapid spread of fire through grass, trees and other fuels.
The fire danger remains high this late in the year due to near-record and record dry conditions.
The period ranks as the second driest July to September on record at the Eugene Airport with just .21 inches of rain collecting in the gauge.
The record driest July to September for Eugene was 1942, with just .18 inches of rain.
This summer's rainfall is well short of normal: from 1896 to 2012, the average for the period is 2.45 inches of rain.
Rain gauges at the Portland Airport and in Salem and Hillsboro all posted record-low rainfall for July through September.
Just a quarter of an inch fell at PDX, compared to .51 inches in 1952. The long-term average is 2.45 inches.
Hillsboro got .15 inches of rain, down from .36 in 1952 and the average 2.24 inches.
Salem posted the lowest new record: just .11 inches, down from .23 in 1952 and the long-term average of 2.17 inches.
There is equally convincing scientific evidence and theory that both agree with and dispute climate change. Who is to say which is correct. Time will tell, thousands of years.
America is one of the few countries I've been to that has their head firmly up their rear end when it comes to climate change. Once a week almost in England you can see an old special by Sir David Attenborough on BBC talking about climate change. The Great Barrier Reef has lost 50% of it's coral in 30 years, we have record high ice loss in the Arctic, terrible forest fires, and this is just the beginning.When the heck are we going to wake up?
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Cue idiot that doesn't understand the difference between climate, and weather in 3...2...1.