YACHATS – It’s agreed – June was wet and cold, according to the handful of weather-watchers in the Yachats area who diligently record daily rainfall amounts and temperatures.
But we’re now past July 4, so can the coastal summer really begin?
“Officially” the city of Yachats measured 4.66 inches of rain at the wastewater treatment plant in June. Like many other weather watchers, that’s the highest since 2010. The city has measured 35.51 inches for the first six months of 2022.
Adam Altson, who lives near Yachats’ wastewater plant, had 5.33 inches in June – the most he’s ever recorded – and 36.46 for the year.
Donald Tucker, who lives two miles north of Yachats and east of U.S. Highway 101, recorded 5.84 inches of rain in June, which beat his 2010 measurement of 4.95 in 2010. Sixteen of June’s 30 days had measurable rain, he said.
But it is the rain in the Yachats River valley that determines the city’s water supply issues – which so far look strong for the summer because of the late spring rains in May and June.
Jim Adler, who lives three miles upriver, had 7.26 inches of rain in June and 59.10 inches for the year.
Bob Williams, who is at the 8-mile mark, recorded 6.06 inches of rain in June and 67.26 inches for the year. Jean-Marc Rolland, who lives two miles farther east, measured 5.44 inches of rain in June and 62.85 inches for 2022.
Altson said he measured rain 15 out of the first 20 days of June “and then as summer officially began the weather pattern switched. Since then we’ve had some sprinkles and mist, but only .03 inches total precipitation.”
The Yachats area did have its first 70 degree day of 2022 on June 25, reaching 71.8, Altson said, “but it was our third straight month with overall below average temperatures.”
“To restate how wet the spring was, I measured 22.91 inches of rain from March 21 through June 22,” Altson said. “And that included 70 days with at least .01 inches of rain out of 94 days in the season.”
Yes, let summer really begin.