Is The Poor Snowpack The New Norm For Idaho?

With Idaho's snowpack the lowest on record in some areas, some scientists warn this may be a glimpse of what's to come.  Statewide, Idaho reached maximum snowpack on March 30th, but some areas reached in weeks earlier.  Boise State University geosciences professor Alejandro Flores called this a historic snow drought, with a "triple whammy" hitting the state and the western United States.

“December and February were normal precipitation, but very warm," Flores pointed out.  "January was a little bit closer to normal temperatures, although it was still warmer, but just no precipitation. And that is what really has set us back in terms of the snowpack.”

Is This A Sign Of Things To Come?

Flores said the weather in the next few months will dictate what happens with stream flow and runoff levels going into the summer.  He added the bigger question is how often the state will see these snow drought years.

“Do they start to kind of stack up more frequently?"  Flores asked.  "Not only is this not a one-off, but is it something that we should expect more frequently as we move into the future?"

Flores said river basins in the Yellowstone region were closer to normal, but the snowpack below 8,000 feet was almost non-existent across the west.  He said he's concerned about how widespread the snow drought is, adding there are few, if any, historical comparisons.

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