Summary:
- A mild December continued the warmer than average start to winter over much of the west and throughout the rest of the United States.
- Precipitation amounts in December were lower than average across the PNW into Montana, while higher than average across most of California and the Great Basin. Mountain snowpack development for the winter is near average in California, but 30-80% of average in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
- Precipitation in December has lowered drought concerns in California; but has left much of the PNW with elevated drought concern.
- The short-term forecast is pointing to a wet and quite cold period as Arctic air fills in over the western US. Models are currently pointing to these conditions lasting last through the rest of the month of January.
- The seasonal forecast for January through March has the odds tilted to a near normal to warmer than average period for the PNW south into California and across the southern tier of states to the east coast. Precipitation for JFM is forecast for near average in the PNW and northern California, and drier than average in central to southern California and across the southern border with Mexico.
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