Western U.S. Continues To Dry Out

It's not only dry in the Northwest, it's becoming increasly dry across the entire west coast.

"One of the problems is that we have seen premature melting of already meager snow packs in many areas," said USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey. "And that has left very little snow still to melt as we move into May."

Rippey, noted California's snowpack, was only two thirds of normal on April 1st, and has melted over the last month by 85%.

"And that has left very little snow in California. The current value  is about 3" by May 5th and that is only 14% of normal for the date. So just over the last 5 or 6 weeks we've lost what little bit of snow that we had. Not just in California but that extends eastward across the great basin and in to much of the southwest."

Rippey adds some of the snow melt did not reach rivers and streams. Instead, it soaked in to already parched soils. 

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