11/02/07 October rains may be a good omen

The new water year began on October first and we got off on the right foot. ABROMOVICH "The majority of the state received anywhere from 150 to 200 percent of precip for the month of October." Ron Abromovich of the NRCS Snow Survey team says the Little Wood River basin was the big rain winner last month. ABROMOVICH "It received 248 percent of average precip, the central mountains Boise basin was 205, 206 in the Big Wood, Henry's Fork and Teton at 192 percent of average, upper Snake was 185, and then again in Oakley Salmon Falls they were about 200 percent of average. Precip was only about 114 percent of average in the Bear River and up in the Clearwater basin at 110." That rain will help replenish some of the dry soil and provide a good base for snowfall this winter. Abromovich says their forecaster sees a change in our weather pattern starting about a week from now. ABROMOVICH "And the storms will start moving back into the state. Its too early to tell where they're going to set up and come through the Northwest but it may indicate future storm pattern as well too during this La Nina type year." La Nina usually means above normal rainfall across Idaho. In previous La Nina years, 1974, 1976, 89 and 99 there were above normal streamflows on the Snake River in eastern Idaho. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott