Drought Information Statement
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY

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AXUS75 KRIW 250423 CCA
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WYC003-013-017-019-023-025-029-033-035-037-039-041-043-231300-

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
646 AM MDT FRI MAY 24 2013

...DROUGHT CONDITIONS SHOW LITTLE CHANGE IN MAY...

SYNOPSIS...
A WET AND COOL APRIL FINALLY BROUGHT AN END TO FIVE CONSECUTIVE
12 MONTH PERIODS THAT WERE THE DRIEST ON RECORD FOR WYOMING SINCE
1895. APRIL 2013 WAS THE FIRST MONTH SINCE FEBRUARY 2012 THAT THE
STATEWIDE PRECIPITATION WAS ABOVE THE 20TH CENTURY NORMAL.

THE LATEST DROUGHT MONITOR RELEASED ON MAY 23RD SHOWED LITTLE
CHANGE FROM THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY. NO AREAS WERE IN EXCEPTIONAL
/D4/ DROUGHT...THAT COVERED MOST OF GOSHEN...NIOBRARA AND WESTON
COUNTY AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL.

EXTREME /D3/ DROUGHT REMAINED ACROSS MOST OF THE BIG HORN
BASIN...PORTIONS OF EASTERN WYOMING (MAINLY CONVERSE AND NIOBRARA
COUNTIES) AND ACROSS CENTRAL CARBON COUNTY. SEVERE /D2/ DROUGHT
OR WORSE STILL COVERED OVER 77.1 PERCENT OF WYOMING.

HERE IS A COMPARISON OF DROUGHT CONDITIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL AND ON
MAY 23RD...

APRIL 2ND
83.7 PERCENT OF STATE IN SEVERE /D2/ DROUGHT OR WORSE
54.9 PERCENT OF STATE IN EXTREME /D3/ DROUGHT OR WORSE
10.1 PERCENT OF STATE IN EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT

MAY 9TH
77.1 PERCENT OF STATE IN SEVERE /D2/ DROUGHT OR WORSE
13.9 PERCENT OF STATE IN EXTREME /D3/ DROUGHT OR WORSE
ZERO PERCENT OF STATE IN EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT

HOWEVER...WYOMING HAS A LONG WAY TO GO TO RECOVER FROM THE DROUGHT
THAT CREEPED INTO THE SOUTH IN EARLY 2013 AND EXPANDED RAPIDLY AND
WORSENED THROUGH JUNE AND JULY 2013. THE PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK
FOR THE SUMMER DOES NOT OFFER MUCH HOPE FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT.
FROM MARCH 2013 GOING BACK TO NOVEMBER 2012...WYOMING HAS HAD FIVE
CONSECUTIVE 12 MONTH PERIODS RANKING AS THE DRIEST ON RECORD SINCE
1895.

PERIOD             STATEWIDE AVG     20TH CENTURY     RANK
                   PRECIP (IN)       AVG (IN)         (OUT OF
                                                      119 YEARS)

MAY 2012-APR 2013      8.32          13.14             2ND DRIEST
APR 2012-MAR 2013      7.71          13.16             1ST DRIEST
MAR 2012-FEB 2013      7.64          13.16             1ST DRIEST
FEB 2012-JAN 2013      7.90          13.16             1ST DRIEST

JAN-DEC 2012           8.08          13.17             1ST DRIEST

DEC 2011-NOV 2012      8.04          13.17             1ST DRIEST
NOV 2011-OCT 2012      8.32          13.16             2ND DRIEST
OCT 2011-SEP 2012      8.97          13.16             3RD DRIEST
SEP 2011-AUG 2012      9.03          13.16             3RD DRIEST
AUG 2011-JUL 2012      9.57          13.16             4TH DRIEST
JUL 2011-JUN 2012      9.47          13.16             5TH DRIEST
APR 2011-MAY 2012     10.42          13.15            13TH DRIEST

SUMMARY OF IMPACTS...

RIVER AND STREAMFLOW CONDITIONS.

STREAMFLOW SNOWMELT VOLUMES ARE EXPECTED TO BE BELOW NORMAL ACROSS
A MAJORITY OF BASINS ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WYOMING. ABOVE
NORMAL (105 TO 120 PERCENT) SNOWMELT RUNOFF VOLUMES ARE EXPECTED
ACROSS A MAJORITY OF HEADWATER STREAMS ALONG THE POWDER RIVER
BASIN. THE REST OF THE MAJOR BASINS IN NORTHERN WYOMING ARE
FORECASTED TO SEE NEAR NORMAL STREAMFLOW VOLUMES THIS SPRING AND
SUMMER.

FIRE WEATHER IMPACTS.

NO FUELS WERE CLASSIFIED AS CRITICAL IN ANY AREAS ACROSS WEST AND
CENTRAL WYOMING. GREEN UP WAS IN FULL SWING ACROSS THE VALLEYS AND
BASINS BELOW 8000 FEET. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COUNTY OFFICIALS FOR
THE LATEST BURNING RESTRICTIONS.

THE SIGNIFICANT WILDLAND FIRE POTENTIAL OUTLOOK SHOWED NORMAL
CONDITIONS DURING JULY AND AUGUST 2013. WILDLAND FIRES ARE STILL
EXPECTED TO OCCUR DURING FORECASTED NORMAL CONDITIONS AS WOULD
USUALLY BE EXPECTED DURING THE OUTLOOK PERIOD.

CLIMATE SUMMARY...

PORTIONS OF FREMONT AND NATRONA COUNTY RECEIVED 150 TO 200 PERCENT
OF NORMAL PRECIPITATION IN APRIL...HELPING TO CLOSE DEFICITS FOR
THE CURRENT WATER YEAR. THE WET APRIL IN LANDER (3.14 INCHES OR 168
PERCENT OF NORMAL)...AND CASPER (2.54 INCHES OR 197 PERCENT OF
NORMAL) PUSHED THEIR WATER YEAR PRECIPITATION TOTALS TO ABOVE
NORMAL. BELOW ARE THE CUMULATIVE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FROM
SELECTED LOCATIONS ACROSS WEST AND CENTRAL WYOMING FOR THE CURRENT
WATER YEAR...OCTOBER 2012 THROUGH APRIL 2013.

LOCATION                   PRECIPITATION             % AVERAGE
                           OCT 2012-APR 2013
--------                   -------------             -----------

AIRPORTS

* BIG PINEY                      0.87                      33
* BUFFALO                        3.12                      64
* CASPER                         5.60                     101
^ EVANSTON                       4.03                      68
+ GREYBULL                       1.29                      48
* LANDER                         7.11                     105
* RIVERTON                       3.13                      77
* ROCK SPRINGS                   0.32 (M)                   M
* SHERIDAN                       6.83                     107
+ WORLAND                        2.69                      89

M - ROCK SPRINGS MISSING PCPN DATA DEC 26 2012-APR 23 2013.

COOPERATIVE OBSERVER STATIONS

^ AFTON                          9.85                     101
* BILLY CREEK                    3.59 (M)                  83
* BITTER CREEK 4 NE              2.51                      82
* FOSSIL BUTTE
  NATIONAL MONUMENT              6.00                     106
* GREEN RIVER                    4.87                     122
* JEFFREY CITY                   4.27                      90
  MOOSE                         12.86                      90
  OLD FAITHFUL                  14.88                      95
* POWELL FIELD STATION           1.38                      69
* RIVERTON (DOWNTOWN)            3.54                      97
* THERMOPOLIS                    3.63                      64

+ LOCATION IN EXTREME DROUGHT /D3/
* LOCATION IN SEVERE DROUGHT /D2/
^ LOCATION IN MODERATE DROUGHT /D1/
(M) MISSING PRECIPITATION DATA IN RECORD

PRECIPITATION/TEMPERATURE OUTLOOKS...

THE ONE MONTH AND THREE MONTH OUTLOOKS WILL BE UPDATED ON THE
THIRD THURSDAY OF THE CURRENT MONTH FOR THE NEXT MONTH AND THREE
MONTH OUTLOOKS.

THE JUNE OUTLOOK SHOWS THE LIKELIHOOD OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES
AND BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION ACROSS WYOMING.

THE THREE MONTH OUTLOOK JUNE...JULY AND AUGUST SHOWS THE LIKELIHOOD
OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS WYOMING. THE PRECIPITATION
OUTLOOK FOR THIS SUMMER SHOWS EQUAL CHANCES OF ABOVE...BELOW OR
NORMAL PRECIPITATION...OR NO CLEAR CLIMATE SIGNAL ACROSS WYOMING.

DEVELOPMENT OF EL NINO CONDITIONS STALLED OUT IN SEPTEMBER IN THE
PACIFIC OCEAN. ENSO NEUTRAL CONDITIONS WERE OBSERVED DURING
WINTER 2012-13 THROUGH THIS SPRING. ENSO-NEUTRAL CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO LATE SUMMER 2013.

THE U.S. SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK RELEASED ON MAY 16TH SHOWED
THAT SOME IMPROVEMENT IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE ACROSS FAR EASTERN WYOMING THROUGH THE END OF AUGUST.
DROUGHT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST ACROSS OTHER AREAS IN
WYOMING CURRENTLY CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS.

HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...

SNOWPACK DATA FOR MAY 23RD -

DRAINAGE BASIN       PERCENT OF AVERAGE             PERCENT CHANGE
                     SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT          SINCE MAY 10TH
                     (BASED ON 1981-2010 NORMALS)

SNAKE RIVER                   55                        -21
MADISON                       43                        -34
YELLOWSTONE                   61                        -19
WIND RIVER                    49                        -36
BIG HORN BASIN                65                        -34
SHOSHONE RIVER                56                        -31
TONGUE                        69                        -20
UPPER NORTH PLATTE            83                        -3
SWEETWATER                    35                        -37
LARAMIE                       85                        -18

ONLY BASINS WITH AN ACCURATE MEASURE OF CONDITIONS ARE LISTED
_____________________________________________

RESERVOIR DATA FOR MAY 22ND -

RESERVOIR                 PERCENT FULL

CENTRAL WYOMING
BOYSEN                      72.4
BUFFALO BILL                76.1
BULL LAKE                   63.9
PATHFINDER                  39.2

UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN
BIG SANDY                   50.0
FONTENELLE                  48.0
FLAMING GORGE               80.0

UPPER SNAKE RIVER BASIN
GRASSY LAKE                100.0
JACKSON LAKE                93.0

NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...

THIS PRODUCT WILL BE UPDATED ON JUNE 10 2013 OR SOONER IF
NECESSARY IN RESPONSE TO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CONDITIONS.

&&

RELATED WEB SITES...

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON CURRENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS MAY BE FOUND AT
THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESSES /USE LOWER CASE LETTERS/...

TO REPORT EFFECTS OF THE DROUGHT IN YOUR AREA...PLEASE GO TO THE
DROUGHT IMPACT REPORTER AT...

HTTP://DROUGHTREPORTER.UNL.EDU/

...AND CLICK ON SUBMIT A REPORT.

INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA MAY BE FOUND AT...
HTTP://DROUGHT.UNL.EDU/NEWSOUTREACH/INFORMATIONFORMEDIA.ASPX

NWS RIVERTON DROUGHT PAGE...
HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/RIW/?N=DROUGHT

USGS WYOMING DROUGHT WATCH...
HTTP://WY.WATER.USGS.GOV/PROJECTS/DROUGHT/

U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR...HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.GOV

NOAA DROUGHT PAGE...HTTP://WWW.DROUGHT.NOAA.GOV

CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER /CPC/...HTTP://WWW.CPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV

ADDITIONAL RIVER AND RESERVOIR INFORMATION...

NWS ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE /AHPS/...
HTTP://WWW.WATER.GOV/AHPS2/INDEX.PHP?WFO=RIW

NRCS WYOMING...HTTP://WWW.WY.NRCS.USDA.GOV

USGS...HTTP://WATER.USGS.GOV/

USBR...HTTP://WWW.USBR.GOV/

WATER RESOURCE DATA SYSTEM (WRDS)...HTTP://WWW.WRDS.UWYO.EDU

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...

THE DROUGHT MONITOR IS A MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT INVOLVING NOAA/S
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND NATIONAL CLIMATIC DATA CENTER...THE
USDA...STATE AND REGIONAL CENTER CLIMATOLOGISTS AND THE NATIONAL
DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER. INFORMATION FOR THIS STATEMENT HAS BEEN
GATHERED FROM NWS AND FAA OBSERVATION SITES...STATE COOPERATIVE
EXTENSION SERVICES...THE USDA...USACE AND USGS.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS...

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DROUGHT INFORMATION
STATEMENT...PLEASE CONTACT...

ARTHUR MEUNIER
CLIMATE/DROUGHT FOCAL POINT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
12744 WEST US HIGHWAY 26
RIVERTON, WY  82501
TELEPHONE...307-857-3898
............800-211-1448
EMAIL...ARTHUR.MEUNIER@NOAA.GOV

$$
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