Wildfires in the normally wet West End’s rain forests and extremely low river flows in streams throughout the North Olympic Peninsula have firefighters, habitat biologists and fishermen praying for rain.
But low stream conditions and the late onset of expected wet winter weather do not necessarily constitute a drought.
National Weather Service officials are hesitant to declare a drought with winter on the way and the possibility of precipitation a logical expectation.
Chris Burke, National Weather Service meteorologist in Seattle, last week said the drought of 2001 has not returned.
Burke describes October’s dry conditions as “normal.”
“If it goes another month, then I would say it would go abnormal pretty quick,” Burke added.
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The rest of this story and other stories relating to this subject are part of the Sunday Showcase in the Sunday Peninsula Daily News. Click on SUBSCRIBE to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.