May 05, 2018
By BOB MOEN , Associated Press
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — While areas of Wyoming received above-average snowfall this past winter and spring, forecasters are not expecting a repeat of last year’s flooding that occurred during the annual spring and summer melt.
The main difference between last year and this year is that most of the snow this past winter collected high up in the mountains whereas in 2017 a lot of snow piled up at lower elevations as well, according to hydrologist Jim Fahey of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Riverton.
“The snow is kind of isolated to 9,000 feet (2,743 meters) and above this year versus last year,” Fahey said. “We’ve lost a lot of that 8,000-, 8,500-foot (2,438, 2,591 meter) snow already.”
Flooding last year caused millions of dollars in damage in Fremont, Park and Washakie counties and the Wind River Reservation.
“It was an exceptional year last year, well above normal,” said Ken Von Buettner, hydrologic technician with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
This past winter’s snowfall was above normal overall statewide but less than what fell during the 2016-17 winter, Von Buettner said.
“The northern part of the state has done quite well,” he said.
Fahey said three potential worry spots for flooding this year are all located in the northern part of the state: the Big Wind River, the South Fork of the Shoshone and the west side of the Bighorn Mountains.
Fahey noted that forecasters were predicting warmer-than-normal temperatures this month when the runoff begins in earnest. Rain on top of the runoff can exacerbate the situation, he said.
“It could be an early runoff if we keep the warmer-than-average temps in May and then we get a little moisture in late May or early June — that could be a kicker,” he said. “We’ll just have to wait and see on that. But nothing like last year.”
Most of Wyoming’s water supply comes from winter snowfall in the mountains, providing a steady supply of water to the state’s reservoirs that is used for drinking and irrigation needs, Von Buettner said.
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