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Friday brings the first measurable rain in Portland in 51 days

The rest of the weekend will bring a few more shower chances, but it won't last long. Next week is likely to bring 100-degree temperatures once again.
Credit: KGW
Raindrops seen on roses in Southeast Portland on Friday, August 6.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland woke up to raindrops on Friday morning marking the first day with measurable rain since June 15, a 51-day dry streak. 

At 11 a.m., Portland International Airport had recorded .05 inches of rain.  

The term 'measurable rain' refers to more than a trace of rain. The longest streak on record at PDX with no measurable rain goes back to 1967, when the area went 71 days dry from June 23-September 1. 

The most recent record goes back to 2017, when Portland went 57 consecutive days without rain from June-August.

"It’s not unusual to see such long periods of dry weather in Oregon over the summer," said KGW Meteorologist Chris McGinness.  

Credit: KGW

There are seven Julys on record at PDX where no measurable rain was recorded, and in 2017 no rain at all occurred, according to McGinness. There are also nine Augusts on record at PDX where no measurable rain was recorded.

Seattle also ended its 51 day dry streak without measurable rainfall on Friday, tied with 1951 as the second-longest ever recorded for Seattle.

The weekend looks similar, with partly sunny skies and a few showers Saturday night and Sunday morning. It won't last long. Next week is likely to bring 100-degree temperatures for a few days to the Willamette Valley.

The Pacific Northwest has endured a very dry summer so far. The small bit of rain this weekend isn't likely to make much of a difference for many regions dealing with an extreme drought, such as Southern and Eastern Oregon. 

 A map from the U.S. drought monitor updated weekly shows the areas most impacted. In Oregon, the areas in deep red listed under "exceptional drought" run up the central part of the state, including the counties of Klamath, Lake, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Wheeler, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow and Umatilla. 

Credit: National Drought Mitigation Center

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The drought for Southern and Eastern Oregon is unlikely to improve until at least the fall.

"The thing about drought is that it is a long term condition," said KGW Chief Meteorologist Matt Zaffino. "It isn't something that just happens over a couple weeks or a couple of months."

The dry conditions also haven't helped with this year's wildfire season. Oregon so far has seen nine large wildfires this season, including the Bootleg Fire in Southern Oregon. It became the largest in the country, and the third-largest in state history.  

There seems to be good news on the horizon, however. The three month outlook from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for November, December and January shows an above average precipitation forecast for northern Oregon and Washington. Precipitation can mean rain, snow, sleet or hail. 

"Southern Oregon has equal chances of getting above, near normal, or below average precipitation," said Zaffino. "One of the reasons for that is there's a La Niña developing for the second year in a row, and that usually bodes well for northwest winter precipitation, both snow in the mountains and rain here in the valleys."

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