If it seems that it's been ages since we saw any real rain, you're right.

Dennis Hull with the National Weather Service in Pendleton says August and September are usually pretty dry in the Pacific Northwest;  but this is a little unusual.  "Yes, most areas east of the Cascades have not had anymore than about a 1/10 of inch of moisture. Most places have had little or no moisture for September, so it's well below normal, even though September and following august is usually some our drier months, we have not had any precipitation of significance."

Hull says his "models" show that we could be in a weak El Nino pattern over the winter; and that means it could also be drier.

He also says that smoky conditions should be better this week, because a low front moved through, bringing more wind to blow away the smoke.