Yes, June was dry – as a drought declaration by Lincoln County commissioners made clear Wednesday.
Yachats-area weather watchers for Lincoln Chronicle say the rainfall in June was one of the lowest in their records, as evidenced by stream levels that are currently at August levels.
Near downtown Yachats, Adam Altson recorded 1.12 inches of rain in June, his second lowest in his eight years of measuring rain. Altson’s total for 2025 is 28.57 inches, which is 2.5 inches lower for the first six months than any year since 2015.
At the Yachats wastewater treatment plant, city staff measured just .91 inches of rain in June. Its year-to-date total is 27.69 inches. Its average for June is 2.70 inches.
Julie Bailey, who lives at the 220 foot elevation of Horizon Hill just east of downtown Yachats, recorded 1.4 inches of rain in June for a six-month total of 38.64 inches. Her six-month total last year was 52.69 inches.
Don Tucker, who lives two miles north of Yachats, measured 1.06 inches of rain in June, less than half of his 19-year average. Tucker’s six-month total is 36.30 inches, four inches lower than his average over 19 years.
It’s not much different east of Yachats in the foothills of the Coast range.
Jim Adler, who lives three miles up the Yachats River valley, recorded 1.15 inches of rain in June – one third of his average June rainfall in 16 years of recordkeeping. His year-to-date rainfall is 44.08 inches.
“I’ve recorded only two drier Junes – 28 inches in 2015 and .26 inches in 2023,” Adler said.
Bob Williams, who lives eight miles up the Yachats River valley, measured 1.07 inches of rain in June for a six-month total of 55.21 inches.
