Don Tucker has been tracking rainfall, temperatures and wind for 19 years at his home north of Yachats and this chart is the result of his record keeping all those years.
By QUINTON SMITH/Lincoln Chronicle
Rainfall on the central Oregon coast came in spurts and buckets in 2025 but still fell behind averages for the last six to 17 years, according to Lincoln Chronicle weather watchers.
And, as always, the amount of rain, wind and temperatures varied greatly from the ocean’s edge to coastal valleys. December’s rainfall totals were affected by two “atmospheric rivers” that dropped 2-4 inches of rain during two storms last month
Don Tucker, who lives two miles north of Yachats and has been tracking weather data for 19 years, measured 16.12 inches of rain in December and 72.05 inches for all of 2025. That rainfall total is right at his 19-year average. Tucker had measurable rain on 224 of the 365 days of 2025, which was also right at his average.
But just two miles to the south, the rainfall amounts were much less in 2025.
City of Yachats staffers recorded 11.98 inches of rain at the wastewater treatment plant in December, for a 2025 total of 54.62 inches. That’s average for the month’s measurements there, but 18 inches below the city’s 10-year average.
Daffodils in December were confused by sometimes warm temperatures and sometimes deluges of rain as the year drew to a close. (Quinton Smith/Lincoln Chronicle)Adam Altson, who lives near the treatment plant but overlooks the ocean, recorded 10.46 inches of rain in December, an inch below his December average and giving him 56.45 inches for the year. Altson said he had “just enough rainfall in December to escape having the lowest yearly rainfall total since I started measuring in 2018, when I had 55 inches.”
Julie Bailey, who lives on the hill overlooking Yachats, measured 14.05 inches of rain in December and 73.81 inches for 2025 – nearly 22 inches less than her total for the very wet 2024.
As it is well documented, go even a little way inland and it’s a different story.
Jim Adler, who lives three miles up the Yachats River valley, measured 16.13 inches of rain in December – 2.85 inches more than his December average – giving him 84.52 inches for the year. But Adler’s average yearly rainfall over 17 years is 90.73 inches – a 2025 difference of six inches “which ain’t exactly a drought.”
Bob Williams lives eight miles up Yachats River valley and recorded 23.46 inches of rain in December for a 2025 total of 103.44 inches – 32 inches less than in 2024 but only six inches below his six-year average. Nearly six inches of Williams’ December total came in the 24 hours ending at 10 a.m. Dec. 19 – the most he’s recorded in six years.
Other weather notes:
- Bailey measured a wind gust of 69 mph with 26 gusts over 50 mph and four over 60 mph on Dec. 18. Her highest recorded temperature in 2025 was 80.7 degrees on Oct. 6. She had only three days of temperatures below 32 degrees — 28.9 degrees on Feb. 11 and Feb. 12 and 30.8 on Jan. 25.
- Altson measured a 62 mph gust on Dec. 18, along with 35 other gusts above 50 mph that day, which tied for his most 50+ mph gusts in one day.
Editor’s note: As Lincoln Chronicle expands its news coverage, we’re also looking for more people who record weather data, especially in the Newport and Lincoln City areas and farther inland including Tidewater, Toledo and Siletz. If you might be one of those people, please drop me an email at [email protected]
