January rainfall in Yachats area was “ho hum” or a lot — depending where you live

YACHATS – Whether the first month of 2023 was “ho hum” or wetter than normal all depends on where you live.

Six YachatsNews weather watchers recorded between 9.36 and 18.10 inches of rain in January – but the difference reflects where the measurements were taken.

The city of Yachats’ “official” weather gauge at the wastewater treatment plant in downtown Yachats recorded 9.36 inches in January – compared with the 10-year average there of 8.05 inches.

Don Tucker, who has been recording rain and weather patterns at his home two miles north of Yachats since 2007, measured 9.98 inches in January and termed the amount “ho hum” although slightly more than average.

That changes a lot if you go up the Yachats River Valley.

Jim Adler, who lives at the three mile mark, measured 12.05 inches of rain in January and said that amount was greater than 10 of the last 14 years.

Farther upriver at the eight-mile mark, Bob Williams measured 17.76 inches in January and at the 10-mile mark, Jean-Marc Rolland had 18.10 inches in January. Williams had a low temperature of 20 degrees on Jan. 29; Rolland a low of 21 degrees Jan. 30.

Adam Altson, who lives along Ocean View Drive in Yachats, measured 10.22 inches for January – but with 9.43 inches of that coming in the first 19 days of the month.

“The first half of the month was very rainy and quite warm as well, reaching 65.5 degrees on Jan 12,” Altson said. It was also quite windy the first half of January, he said.

“Thirteen out of the first 15 days in January I recorded a gust of 30 mph or great,” Altson said. “Six of those days are 40 mph or greater, and three were 50 mph or greater, with a maximum gust of 70 mph on Jan 9.”