Warm, dry December in C.O. leaves snowpack well below normal

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The latest figures from two federal agencies make clear that Central Oregon ended 2019 warmer and drier than usual, leaving the snowpack well below normal for early winter.

The National Weather Service said Bend's average temperature (measured at Bend Airport) in December was 34.2 degrees, which was 3.2 degrees above normal, for a 30-year record period.

The average high of about 41 degrees was nearly 2 degrees above normal, while the average low of 27 was nearly 5 degrees above normal, the NWS said.

Precipitation in Bend totaled just .79 of an inch in December, 1.41 inches below normal.

Thanks in part to that heavy February snow, however, 2019's total precipitation in Bend was 11.79 inches, or .43 inches above normal. Still, the biggest December snow depth recorded in Bend was just 2 inches on Dec. 1.

Prineville also had a warmer and drier than normal December. Its 2019 precipitation totaled 14.33 inches, which was 3.65 inches above normal. But for the water year since Oct. 1, Prineville was at 1.56 inches of precipitation, or 1.89 inches below normal.

The January outlook from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center calls for below-normal temperatures ad near-normal precipitation in January for both cities.

SNOTEL automated measurements on Thursday from the National Resources Conservation Service showed the snow-water content for the Upper Deschutes-Crooked River basin at just 38 percent of normal.