One of the wettest Novembers in 16 years is pushing Yachats-area rainfall amounts closer to average for the calendar year. But December will have to be a very wet month for the central Oregon coast to meet average yearly rainfall totals.
As usual, rainfall amounts in the Yachats area differed by as much as 8 inches, depending on where the measurements were taken.
The “official” Yachats rainfall gauge at the city’s wastewater treatment plant measured 10.39 inches of rain in November, for an 11-month total of 49.64 inches. That was the city’s highest November total since 2017.
But up the Yachats River valley – where two creeks supply the city’s water – rainfall amounts were much higher last month.
Bob Williams, who lives eight miles upriver, measured 18.11 inches of rain in November for an 11-month total of 91.91 inches. That’s 42 inches more than the city’s total.
Jim Adler, who lives three miles upriver, recorded 16.17 inches of rain in November, and has an 11-month total of 74.50 inches. Adler’s measurement was the second highest November measurement since he started keeping records in 2008.
Donald Tucker, who lives two miles north of Yachats and east of Highway 101, measured 11.76 inches in November for an 11-month total of 58.60 inches. November was the third-wettest month since Tucker began keeping records 16 years ago.
Adam Altson, who lives a block away from the city’s treatment plant, recorded 16.17 inches of rain in November and has an 11-month total of 71.85 inches. Altson said half of the month’s rainfall occurred during a storm Nov. 10-12.
Based on the city’s rainfall amounts, its rainfall measurements are 81.5 percent of average for an 11-month period. That average is 60.91 inches.
A wet fall is slowly improve the city’s percent of average rainfall measurement. The city’s measurement was 76 percent of average in September and 78 percent of average in October.
