ASK THE METEOROLOGIST
“My question has to do with the water year.”
Randy Miltier, Phoenix, OR
The water year s is a different time frame for measuring the annual precipitation, instead of using the calendar year. Our water year begins on October 1 and runs through September 30 of the following year. They are named for the year they end, so the current water year is 2015, which began in October of 2014.
Some argue the water year provides a better snapshot of our rainy and snowy season than the calendar year. Daily climatology reports from the National Weather Service list both the calendar and water year precipitation. However, the daily climate report previously listed the water year as beginning on September 1st, where now it lists it as October 1. Keep in mind that for different geographical locations, the water year may start and end on different dates.
Thanks, Randy!
StormWatch 12 Chief Meteorologist Kate McKenna