- Warnings
- Observations
- Forecasts
- Text Messages
- Forecast Models
- Climate
- Weather Safety
- Education/Outreach
- Information Center
- Contact Us
RSS Feeds
Drought Information Statement
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY
000
AXUS75 KRIW 260143
DGTRIW
WYC003-013-017-019-023-025-029-033-035-037-039-041-043-260145-
DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
743 PM MDT THU APR 25 2013
...EXCEPTIONAL/EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS RECEDE ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN
WYOMING AFTER APRIL SNOWSTORMS...
SYNOPSIS...
SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL FROM THREE MAJOR SNOWSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL
AND EASTERN WYOMING RESULTED IN SOME IMPROVEMENT IN THE HARDEST
HIT AREAS WITH EXTREME OR EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT SINCE LAST AUTUMN.
BASIN SNOWPACK IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY AS WELL AFTER THESE STORMS.
THE LATEST DROUGHT MONITOR RELEASED ON APRIL 25TH SHOWED NO AREAS
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 AND SOUTH CENTRAL WYOMING.
SEVERE /D2/ DROUGHT OR WORSE STILL COVERED OVER 80 PERCENT OF
WYOMING...HOWEVER MOST OF NATRONA AND FREMONT COUNTIES ACCOUNTED
FOR A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE IMPROVEMENT FROM EXTREME /D3/
DROUGHT TO /D2/ SEVERE DROUGHT.
HERE ARE THE DROUGHT CONDITIONS BEFORE AND AFTER THE APRIL SNOWS
FOR WYOMING...
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
APRIL 23RD
81.7 PERCENT OF STATE IN SEVERE /D2/ DROUGHT OR WORSE
30.4 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. FROM MARCH 2013 GOING BACK TO
NOVEMBER 2012...WYOMING HAS HAD FIVE CONSECUTIVE 12 MONTH PERIODS
RANKING AS THE DRIEST ON RECORD SINCE 1895. APRIL 2013 MAY FINALLY
BREAK THIS STREAK...BUT STILL NEED SEVERAL MORE WET MONTHS TO
BREAK THE CURRENT DROUGHT. THE OUTLOOKS FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS DO
NOT LOOK VERY PROMISING.
PERIOD STATEWIDE AVG 20TH CENTURY RANK
PRECIP (IN) AVG (IN) (OUT OF
119 YEARS)
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.
USGS WYOMING DROUGHT-WATCH 28-DAY MAP OF BELOW AVERAGE STREAMFLOW
SHOWED BELOW NORMAL STREAM FLOW ACROSS ALL WYOMING RIVER BASINS
EXCEPT THE SNAKE RIVER BASIN...AND THE BELLE FOURCHE AND CHEYENNE
RIVER BASINS. THE LITTLE SNAKE AND CLARKS FORK RIVER BASINS WERE
IN MODERATE HYDROLOGIC DROUGHT.
FIRE WEATHER IMPACTS.
NO FUELS WERE CLASSIFIED AS CRITICAL IN ANY AREAS ACROSS WEST AND
CENTRAL WYOMING. APRIL SNOWSTORMS RESULTED IN SNOWCOVERED OR WET
FUELS ACROSS MOST AREAS WITH LOWER ELEVATIONS BEGINNING TO GREEN UP.
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COUNTY OFFICIALS FOR THE LATEST BURNING
RESTRICTIONS.
THE SIGNIFICANT WILDLAND FIRE POTENTIAL OUTLOOK SHOWED NORMAL
LIKELIHOOD...OR AS WOULD USUALLY BE EXPECTED...FOR WILDFIRE
OCCURRENCE AND BECOME SIGNIFICANT EVENTS THROUGH JULY 2013.
CLIMATE SUMMARY...
BELOW ARE THE CUMULATIVE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FROM SELECTED
LOCATIONS ACROSS WEST AND CENTRAL WYOMING FOR THE CURRENT WATER
YEAR...OCTOBER 2012 THROUGH MARCH 2013.
LOCATION PRECIPITATION % AVERAGE
OCT 2012-MAR 2013
-------- ------------- -----------
AIRPORTS
* BIG PINEY 0.62 29
* BUFFALO 2.29 64
* CASPER 3.06 72
^ EVANSTON 3.11 65
+ GREYBULL 0.09 46
* LANDER 3.97 81
* RIVERTON 1.83 66
* ROCK SPRINGS 0.32 (M) M
* SHERIDAN 4.56 96
+ WORLAND 1.71 80
M - ROCK SPRINGS MISSING PCPN DATA JAN-MAR 2013.
COOPERATIVE OBSERVER STATIONS
^ AFTON 7.85 95
* BILLY CREEK 2.79 (M) 94
+ BITTER CREEK 4 NE 2.01 83
* FOSSIL BUTTE
NATIONAL MONUMENT 5.36 114
* GREEN RIVER 4.12 131
* JEFFREY CITY 2.14 61
MOOSE 11.05 86
OLD FAITHFUL 12.42 93
* POWELL FIELD STATION 0.99 66
* RIVERTON (DOWNTOWN) 2.06 77
* THERMOPOLIS 2.68 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 MAY OUTLOOK CALLS FOR A BETTER THAN EVEN CHANCE OF ABOVE
NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS ALL BUT THE EXTREME NORTHEAST CORNER OF
WYOMING WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS
THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE STATE. WYOMING HAS EQUAL CHANCES OF
ABOVE...BELOW OR NORMAL PRECIPITATION FOR MAY OR NO CLEAR CLIMATE
SIGNAL.
THE THREE MONTH OUTLOOK FOR MAY...JUNE AND JULY SHOWS A GREATER
THAN EQUAL CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ACROSS ALL OF
WYOMING WITH THE BEST CHANCE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE
STATE. THE PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK FOR THIS THREE MONTH PERIOD
SHOWS A BETTER THAN EQUAL CHANCE FOR BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION
ACROSS ALL BUT THE EXTREME NORTHEAST CORNER OF WYOMING. THE BEST
CHANCE FOR BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION EXISTS OVER SOUTHWEST
WYOMING...OR MAINLY UINTA AND SWEETWATER COUNTIES.
DEVELOPMENT OF EL NINO CONDITIONS STALLED OUT IN SEPTEMBER IN THE
PACIFIC OCEAN. ENSO NEUTRAL CONDITIONS WERE OBSERVED THROUGH
WINTER 2012-13 INTO EARLY SPRING. ENSO-NEUTRAL CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO SUMMER 2013.
THE U.S. SEASONAL DROUGHT OUTLOOK RELEASED ON APRIL 18TH SHOWED
THAT SOME IMPROVEMENT IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE ACROSS FAR EASTERN WYOMING THROUGH THE END OF JULY. DROUGHT
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO PERSIST ACROSS OTHER AREAS IN WYOMING
CURRENTLY CURRENTLY CLASSIFIED WITH DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
HYDROLOGIC SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK...
SNOWPACK DATA FOR APRIL 25TH -
DRAINAGE BASIN PERCENT OF AVERAGE PERCENT CHANGE
SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT SINCE MARCH 22ND
(BASED ON 1981-2010 NORMALS)
SNAKE RIVER 104 +12
MADISON 97 +4
YELLOWSTONE 103 +10
WIND RIVER 98 +19
BIG HORN BASIN 115 +9
SHOSHONE RIVER 100 +9
POWDER 124 +26
TONGUE 105 +6
BELLE FOURCHE 675 +604
CHEYENNE 190 +97
UPPER NORTH PLATTE 98 +17
SWEETWATER 85 +14
LOWER NORTH PLATTE 98 +22
LARAMIE 106 +24
SOUTH PLATTE 133 +41
LITTLE SNAKE RIVER 103 +21
UPPER GREEN 97 +14
LOWER GREEN 127 +42
UPPER BEAR 102 +26
_____________________________________________
RESERVOIR DATA FOR APRIL 24TH -
RESERVOIR PERCENT FULL
CENTRAL WYOMING
BOYSEN 71.5
BUFFALO BILL 66.4
BULL LAKE 51.8
PATHFINDER 39.5
UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN
BIG SANDY 29.0
FONTENELLE 38.0
FLAMING GORGE 80.0
UPPER SNAKE RIVER BASIN
GRASSY LAKE 87.0
JACKSON LAKE 76.0
NEXT ISSUANCE DATE...
THIS PRODUCT WILL BE UPDATED ON MAY 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
$$
- National Weather Service
- Western and Central Wyoming Weather Forecast Office
- 12744 West U.S. Hwy 26
- Riverton, WY 82501
- 307-857-3898
- Page Author: RIW Webmaster
- Web Master's E-mail: w-riw.webmaster@noaa.gov
- Page last modified: May 1st, 2013 15:31 UTC