Many regular readers of this column are aware of the effects of La Niña, and variations in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in general, on the overall weather of the Pacific Northwest during the cool season. Nevertheless, it bears repeating that La Niña is often (but not always!) accompanied by relatively cool and wet winter weather in an overall sense, and a healthy snowpack going into spring.| Washington State Climate Office
If you have lived in Washington for long enough, you are probably well aware that our dry and sunny summers end predictably around October or early November when fall rains and cloud cover move in. This enduring feature of Washington’s climate is not only important to upholding our internationally-recognized mysterious and moody PNW persona, but it also supports ecosystems (and us humans) that rely on and have adapted to this consistent and timely precipitation cycle.| Washington State Climate Office