If the appearance of rain slickers around the region isn’t evidence enough, National Weather Service data confirm that Central Oregon is on a rainy streak this month.

Each city in the region is experiencing above-average rainfall, while some cities are seeing near-record amounts, according to the National Weather Service in Pendleton.

“Definitely the whole area is wetter than normal,” Jim Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pendleton, said Friday. “We have just had one system right after the other.”

Sunriver and Madras are reaching record rainfall for October, with nearly twice as much rain as Bend or Redmond.

So far, 3.03 inches have poured down in Sunriver, the second-wettest October behind the record 3.52 inches of rainfall in 2007, according to the weather service.

Sunriver’s October rainfall is well above its average of 1.22 inches.

In Madras, 2.06 inches of rain have been measured by the weather service this month. The amount is the third most, following 2.09 inches in 1982 and the record 2.21 inches in 1979. The average October rainfall in Madras is 0.85 inches.

Meanwhile, the rainfall totals in Bend, Redmond, Sisters and Prineville are all above average. Downtown Bend is measuring 0.75 inches of rain, more than the 0.60-inch average. Redmond is more than doubling its average with 1.03 inches this month.

With a few more days left this month, Smith said, some of the October records could be broken.

“We have some more rain coming here this weekend, and the numbers will increase,” he said.

Rain, and at higher elevations snow, are in the forecast this weekend, and into next week.

Snow levels around Central Oregon are between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, according to the weather service.

At Mount Bachelor, 27 inches of snow have fallen at the West Village Base since Oct. 1.

Stirling Cobb, marketing and communications manager at Mt. Bachelor ski area, said opening day is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 25. Traditionally, Mt. Bachelor opens around Thanksgiving, and this year seems to be no exception, Cobb said.

“Depending on what Mother Nature does the next couple of weeks will determine what our official opening date will be,” Cobb said.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820,

kspurr@bendbulletin.com