Drought Information Statement
Issued by NWS Riverton, WY

000
AXUS75 KRIW 070201
DGTRIW
WYC003-013-017-019-023-025-029-033-035-037-039-041-043-070215-

DROUGHT INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RIVERTON WY
801 PM MDT THU JUN 6 2013

...SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS RETREAT ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL WYOMING...

SYNOPSIS...
A WET APRIL AND MAY ACROSS MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL WYOMING
RESULTED IN A LOWERING OF ONE CATEGORY IN SEVERITY ON THE LATEST
DROUGHT MONITOR. MODERATE /D1/ CONDITIONS COVERED MOST OF NORTH
AND CENTRAL WYOMING ON THE LATEST DROUGHT MONITOR RELEASED ON JUNE
6TH.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE NOTABLE PRECIPITATION TOTALS FOR APRIL AND MAY:

LOCATION      APRIL AND MAY PRECIPITATION    PERCENT OF NORMAL
              (INCHES)

SHERIDAN             5.30                       134
LANDER               5.12                       126
CASPER               4.35                       131
THERMOPOLIS          3.67                       118
RIVERTON (TOWN)      3.02                       124

HERE IS A COMPARISON OF DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN WYOMING AT THE
BEGINNING OF APRIL AND ON JUNE 4TH...

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

JUNE 4TH
47.4 PERCENT OF STATE IN SEVERE /D2/ DROUGHT OR WORSE
7.8 PERCENT OF STATE IN EXTREME /D3/ DROUGHT OR WORSE
ZERO PERCENT OF STATE IN EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT

SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS OR WORSE REMAINED ACROSS THE NORTHERN
BIG HORN BASIN AND MOST OF SOUTHERN WYOMING...WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF THE SOUTHEAST CORNER. ABNORMALLY DRY /D0/ OR MODERATE DROUGHT
/D1/ COVERED THE SOUTH PLATTE RIVER BASIN. EXTREME /D3/ DROUGHT
REMAINED MAINLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF CARBON...NIOBRARA AND CONVERSE
COUNTIES. A WET SPRING PUT SOME LOCATIONS...MAINLY THOSE LISTED
ABOVE...NEAR OR ABOVE AVERAGE FOR THE 2012-2013 WATER YEAR (SINCE
OCTOBER 1, 2012). HOWEVER...WYOMING AS A WHOLE HAS EXPERIENCED
SOME OF THE DRIEST PERIODS ON RECORD SINCE THE ONSET OF THE
CURRENT DROUGHT THAT BEGAN WITH THE WARMEST AND SECOND DRIEST
MARCH ON RECORD IN 2012. MAY 2011 THROUGH APRIL 2012 WAS THE LAST
12 MONTH PERIOD WHEN WYOMING`S STATEWIDE PRECIPITATION AVERAGE WAS
ABOVE THE 20TH CENTURY AVERAGE.

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
JUN 2011-MAY 2012     10.42          13.15            13TH DRIEST
MAY 2011-APR 2012     13.35          13.14            69TH 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. SOME FUELS WERE BEGINNING TO CURE IN EARLY JUNE...MAINLY
BELOW 6000 FEET ACROSS CENTRAL WYOMING.  CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COUNTY
OFFICIALS FOR THE LATEST BURNING RESTRICTIONS.

THE SIGNIFICANT WILDLAND FIRE POTENTIAL OUTLOOK SHOWED NORMAL
CONDITIONS DURING THE LATE SUMMER INTO EARLY AUTUMN 2013. WILDLAND
FIRES ARE STILL EXPECTED TO OCCUR DURING FORECASTED NORMAL
CONDITIONS AS WOULD USUALLY BE EXPECTED DURING THE OUTLOOK PERIOD.

CLIMATE SUMMARY...

BELOW ARE THE CUMULATIVE PRECIPITATION AMOUNTS FROM SELECTED
LOCATIONS ACROSS WEST AND CENTRAL WYOMING FOR THE CURRENT WATER
YEAR...OCTOBER 2012 THROUGH MAY 2013.

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

AIRPORTS

* BIG PINEY                      2.13                      61
^ BUFFALO                        4.73                      64
^ CASPER                         7.41                      98
^ EVANSTON                       4.24                      55
* GREYBULL                       2.30                      53
^ LANDER                         9.09                     102
^ RIVERTON                       4.51                      78
* ROCK SPRINGS                      M                       M
^ SHERIDAN                       9.86                     113
* WORLAND                        3.81                      86

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

COOPERATIVE OBSERVER STATIONS

^ AFTON                         12.28                     102
* BITTER CREEK 4 NE              3.14                      75
* FOSSIL BUTTE
  NATIONAL MONUMENT              7.33                     103
* GREEN RIVER                    6.28                     120
^ JEFFREY CITY                   6.91                     104
^ KAYCEE
  MOOSE                         14.45                      89
  OLD FAITHFUL                  16.15                      88
* POWELL FIELD STATION           3.37                      99
^ RIVERTON (DOWNTOWN)            5.08                     100
^ THERMOPOLIS                    6.35                      85

+ 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 LATEST JUNE OUTLOOK SHOWS THE LIKELIHOOD OF ABOVE NORMAL
TEMPERATURES ACROSS ALL BUT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF WYOMING...THE
GREATEST CHANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES ARE WEST OF THE
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. THE PRECIPITATION OUTLOOK FOR JUNE SHOWS A
GREATER THAN EVEN CHANCE OF BELOW NORMAL PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE
WESTERN THIRD OF WYOMING. THE REST OF THE STATE STANDS EQUAL
CHANCES OF ABOVE...BELOW OR NORMAL PRECIPITATION OR NO CLEAR
CLIMATE SIGNAL.

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 JUNE 6TH SHOWED
THAT SOME IMPROVEMENT IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE ACROSS EASTERN WYOMING...AND ACROSS THE FAR NORTHERN
BIGHORN RANGE AND SHERIDAN COUNTY 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...

FINAL SNOWPACK DATA FOR THE SEASON ON MAY 28TH -

DRAINAGE BASIN       PERCENT OF AVERAGE             MAY 28 2012
                     SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT          (ONE YEAR AGO)
                     (BASED ON 1981-2010 NORMALS)

SNAKE RIVER                   46                         84
MADISON                       42                        124
YELLOWSTONE                   53                        103
WIND RIVER                    33                         57
BIG HORN BASIN                45                        105
SHOSHONE RIVER                47                         93
POWDER                        74                         12
TONGUE                        40                         58
UPPER NORTH PLATTE            73                         19
SWEETWATER                     7                          3
LOWER NORTH PLATTE           100                          0
LARAMIE                       59                          0
SOUTH PLATTE                  90                          0
LITTLE SNAKE RIVER            52                         23
UPPER GREEN                   50                         84
LOWER GREEN                   43                         13
UPPER BEAR                    20                         21
___________________________________________________________
WEIGHTED STATE AVERAGE        56                         43

RESERVOIR DATA FOR JUNE 5TH -

RESERVOIR                 PERCENT FULL

CENTRAL WYOMING
BOYSEN                      73.4
BUFFALO BILL                83.7
BULL LAKE                   72.3
PATHFINDER                  39.2

UPPER GREEN RIVER BASIN
BIG SANDY                   61.0
FONTENELLE                  55.0
FLAMING GORGE               79.0

UPPER SNAKE RIVER BASIN
GRASSY LAKE                100.0
JACKSON LAKE                95.0

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

$$