weather and hydro 2014 outlook

Weather and Hydro2014 Outlook

Latah County LEPC2/13/2014

John LivingstonNational Weather Service, Spokane

What’s happening now?

Wet, Warm, and Windy!

Current Flood Hazards

• Ponding water from rain & snowmelt that can’t soak into frozen ground.

• Storm drains & culverts plugged with ice & snow

• Cumulative ponding from series of storms since ground is still frozen

• Rises on creeks & Rivers. Stay up-to-date on new forecasts!

Paradise Creek

Palouse River

Current Snowpack (% of Normal)

Lake Pend Oreille Watershed

Moscow Mountain Snow

71% of median SWE

Departure from Normal Snow Depth

Dry Fall!

• For the Oct 1 – Jan 31 period– Moscow is 20th driest in 120 years– Potlatch is DRIEST in 90 years

National Drought Monitor

Moderate Drought

Long Range Weather Outlook

ENSO “Neutral” Conditions Persist

Long Range Weather Outlook

Sea Surface Temperatures

Departure from Normal

8-14 Day OutlookValid Feb 20-26

Temperature

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

8-14 Day OutlookValid Feb 20-26

Precipitation

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov

Mar – Apr – May OutlookTemperature

Mar – Apr – May OutlookPrecipitation

Summary

• Short Term Forecast Biggest Concern with Potential Flooding

• After a very dry fall, catching up on mountain snowpack.

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Question?