The annual mean yearly runoff in western Washington during the 1982 water year ranged generally from normal to 110 percent of normal, except for the southwestern part, which was about 130 percent of normal. Precipitation was generally above average during October, January, February, and March, and was below average during November, May, June, and august. Precipitation was near average for the other months of the water year.

Peak flows in western Washington were not unusual; most had less than 5-year recurrence intervals, although some in the southwestern part were about 10-year recurrence intervals. Chelahis River, a lowland stream in the southern part of the region, had above normal runoff each month except during the period May through September, and annual runoff was 131 percent of normal. Skykomish River, a mountainous stream of the northern Cascade Range, had an annual runoff that was 109 percent of normal, and monthly flows above normal except for November, December, April, and May.

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