Precipitation and Snow Pack Above Average Across the State
Written by Andrew-Rossi on February 19, 2020
It’s pretty wet in Wyoming this year.
A report from the Wyoming office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed that there’s been a healthy amount of precipitation in the state in 2020. In their report, Wyoming’s January precipitation was 95 to 105% of the average, current water year precipitation is averaging 90 to 100% of normal across the state, and mountain snowpack is 100 to 110% of the median. And these are just the averages. Some areas have seen precipitation as high as 145%. Meanwhile, Wyoming’s reservoirs are averaging 70 to 75% of their average capacity in early February.
But its not all breaking averages. The precipitation in the Clarks Fork Yellowstone/Shoshone Basin is only 60 percent of its historic averages. But its worth nothing that we are still in the midst of winter. Precipitation in Cody has increased since January – you might have noticed. This will undoubtedly add to the snowpack and lead to a wetter spring. That should raise the Buffalo Bill Reservoir a bit too.
Parts of Southeast Wyoming are still in drought, seeing below average precipitation and lower stream flow.
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