Oregon Snowpack Remains Strong, Some Locations Starting To Melt

Typically, here in the Northwest, the snowpack’s high-water mark is April 1st, meaning the region has only a few more weeks, or perhaps months on the snow season.  When it comes to the Oregon, Matt Warbritton with NRCS says the statewide snowpack is pretty robust right now.

“Especially across Southern and Eastern Oregon where really this winter has just been a pretty great winter for those regions," Warbritton noted.  "We are seeing a bit of degradation in snowpack in the Willamette, in particular in this central Cascade region in Oregon.  As well as the North Cascades in Oregon.  So, think the Lower Deschutes and the Hood and Sandy River basins, we are seeing snowpack that has degraded a bit.”

Currently, only two of the 12 basins across Oregon have snowpacks that are below average for this time of year.  While figures across the state look very solid for mid-March, Warbritton said that an above average snowpack now does not guarantee anything this spring and summer.

“That doesn't mean drought still can't develop," he said.  "Certainly we can have warmer, warmer than normal temperatures pop up over the course of the summer, just like we had last summer and have drought development.”

When it comes to the Water-Year-To-Date figures, currently only one basin, the Hood-Sandy-Lower Deschutes is below breakeven for this time of year.

Listen to our entire podcast with Warbritton

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