12/02/08 November was too dry

We're not off to a good start. That's what Ron Abromovich of the NRCS Snow Survey is saying about precipitation in the first two months of the new Idaho water year. ABROMOVICH "A few areas actually received 100 percent of average but it was more isolated areas. One was the Clearwater basin." Most basins had below normal rain and snowfall last month. A good November didn't make up for a bad October in the Clearwater basin which is at 89 percent of normal precipitation after two months. ABROMOVICH "Salmon is 81, Weiser 76, Payette is 76 percent also, Boise basin is at 75, the Big Wood is 80. 93 percent of average in the Little Wood basin, the Big Lost is 82 and then it starts increasing a little bit over in the Little Lost and Birch basins to 92 percent of average. Medicine Lodge, Camas and Mud Lake area is 120 percent of average, Palisades is 90, Willow-Blackfoot is 98, Oakley basin is 97 percent of average along with Salmon Falls. The Bruneau basin is 102 percent, Owyhee 97 and only 78 percent average precip has fallen in the Bear River so far." Now for some good news. Abromovich says the forecast for the next couple of weeks looks promising with a wet pattern developing that could bring snow to the higher elevations. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott