The National Weather Service says Western Washington’s 2014 weather will go down in the record books as the warmest and deadliest yet, and one of the wettest.
In its annual assessment of the region’s weather issued Dec. 23, the Weather Service’s Seattle office attributed 50 Washington fatalities to weather-related incidents.
Of those incidents, capped by the 43 who died March 22 in the massive Oso landslide in eastern Snohomish County, three people died in avalanches, wind killed three others, and an ocean rip current incident killed one.
Weather Service data also shows 2014 was a record warm year.
With about a week left before year end, the average temperature at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was 55.5 degrees, exceeding the previous record of 54.4 degrees set in 1995.
The average high temperature was 63.1 degrees, exceeding 1992’s record of 62.5 degrees. The average low temperature was 47.9 degrees, beating the record warm low temperature average of 46.7 degrees set in 1995 and 2013.
Through Dec. 22, the Weather Service recorded only 83 days (or 23 percent) with below normal temperatures. Since July 1, only 27 days (15 percent) had below normal temperatures.
Seattle had a record-setting number of warm nights in 2014. Through Dec. 22, the Weather Service recorded 176 days with a low temperature of 50 degrees or more, crushing the old record of 157 days set in 1995.
When the sun was up, 114 days showed highs of 70 degrees or more. The Weather Service said this is second most on record, surpassed only by 115 days in 1992.
Eight of the 12 months in 2014 were in the top 10 warmest, the Weather Service reported. January’s average temperature was 44.3 degrees (10th); April, 52 degrees (seventh); May, 59.1 degrees (fifth); July, 69.2 degrees (second); August, 69.1 degrees (third); September, 64.8 degrees (second); October, 58 degrees (first); and as of Dec. 22, December’s average of 47.5 degrees put it in first.
Only February had below normal temperatures.
This year was quite wet as well. Sea-Tac Airport reported 47.21 inches for the year as of Dec. 22, making 2014 the eighth wettest year on record, according to the Weather Service.
The all-time Sea-Tac rainfall record is 55.17 inches in 1950. With about a week to go in the year, another inch would be needed to exceed the seventh-ranked 48.27 inches recorded in 2012.
For only the second time on record, Sea-Tac Airport passed its annual normal rainfall total in the month of October. The annual normal of 37.49 inches was surpassed on Oct. 30. The only other year was in 1950, when the annual normal was surpassed on Oct. 23.
Five months of 2014 were in the top 10 wettest: February, 6.11 inches (eighth); March, 9.44 inches (first); April, 4.18 inches (ninth); May, 3.15 inches (eighth); and October, 6.75 inches (fifth).
The Weather Service said Feb. 1 through Oct. 31 was the wettest on record. The 35.17 inches that fell over those nine months obliterated the old record of 31.11 inches set in 1950.
In addition to the Oso landslide, other significant slides in Index were reported in January and from mid-February to early March in Maple Valley, Auburn, U.S. 101 near Hoodsport, Mukilteo, Tacoma, Des Moines, Concrete, Sedro-Woolley and Snoqualmie.
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