North Coast and Cascades Network climate monitoring report: Olympic National Park; water year 2012

Baccus, William; Larrabee, Mike; Lofgren, Rebecca

Climate and weather events define the ecological characteristics found in national parks and are key to understanding and interpreting changes in natural resources. Everyday park operations including fire management, search and rescue, maintenance of park infrastructure, and visitor use are influenced by weather. Collecting weather data and maintaining climate records provide essential information needed to support park operations and to monitor park resources. This report summarizes climate data collected in Olympic National Park during the 2012 water year, and is part of a set of climate summary reports from six national and historical parks in the North Coast and Cascades Network. Published in the National Park Service’s Natural Resource Data Series, annual climate summary reports are intended to summarize the year’s weather in a timely manner, with minimal interpretation and analyses. We intend that the primary audience for this document will be National Park staff, especially decision makers, planners, and interpreters; partners; and interested public. Temperature and precipitation data are presented from 11 weather stations ranging in location from coastal to high elevation sites in the mountainous core of the Olympics. Data were recorded using automated instruments operated by the National Park Service and collaborators, including the National Weather Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. For two stations with long term records, monthly average temperatures and monthly total precipitation are reported and compared to the 30-year normal (1981 to 2010). These two stations span a significant climate gradient, with the Quillayute Airport representing wet, west side conditions and the Elwha Ranger Station representing the drier, northern portions of the park. Monthly snow depth and snow water equivalent (SWE) are reported and compared to the 30-year normal for two Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL) stations and three snow courses within the park. The report briefly discusses the implications of transitioning to a new climatological normal (1981 to 2010) from the old normal (1971 to 2000), which was referenced in previous reports. A summary is provided to describe any significant weather events during the water year and how these may have affected park resources. Water Year 2012 continued a trend of wetter and cooler than normal weather conditions, which began in 2010. Summarized weather data indicated that this year had below normal annual temperatures and near normal annual precipitation. The snowpack built early, stagnated in mid-winter, then built to above normal conditions by late spring, persisting significantly longer than normal. The first part of summer remained cool and wet, while the later months of August and September were some of the driest on record.

North Coast and Cascades Network climate monitoring report: Olympic National Park; water year 2012

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