1-14 IAT Good Snow

 WATER SUPPLY AND SNOWPACKS OFF TO A PROMISING START

There was a huge snowfall last week bringing much needed moisture to Idaho. More good news on top of that, the Natural Resources Conservation Service conducted this season’s first snow survey at the end of December for the January water supply report which is now out. The report shows many of the state’s basins are starting the year with good soil moisture and snowpack conditions. The water year began on October 1. November rainfall helped soil moisture recover from the dry summer. Precipitation since October ranges from 100 to 150% of normal.

Ron Abramovich, Idaho NRCS Water Supply Specialist  told me the mountain snowpacks vary from 80% to 160% of normal using the new 30-year reference period to calculate the normal. “Right now we have a very unique snowpack that is building up in central Idaho and above 7000 feet some of the snow measurement sites are pushing record high limit for today. We are off to a great start. Across the state the snowpack is better than average in most places.” So far this year elevation is playing a critical role in where the snow falls and accumulates.