Thanks to a band of several storms last month, the Washington snowpack is in great shape for early March. Scott Pattee with NRCS said it’s been a long time since Washington has seen a statewide numbers like this.

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“You know, this snowpack is going to take us into spring in really tiptop shape.  So, pretty much as this point, no matter what happens, I think our water supply is going to be just fine and dandy this year.”

When it comes to individual basins:

  • The Upper Columbia is 126% of average
  • The Central Columbia is 121% of average
  • The Upper Yakima is 122% of average
  • The Naches is 128% of average
  • The Lower Yakima is 114% of average
  • The Lower Columbia is 130% of average
  • The South Puget Sound is 132% of average
  • The Central Puget Sound is 137% of average (HIGH)
  • The North Puget Sound is 119% of average
  • The Lower Pend Oreille is 97% of average (LOW)
  • The Spokane is 100% of average
  • The Lower Snake/Walla Walla is 130% of average

Pattee added not only is there a lot of snow in the higher elevations, it’s the kind of snow that will help well into spring and summer.

“I’ve really been watching the density of these snowpacks, which is the percent of snow that is actually liquid water, and the densities are really normal.  They’re coming in really normal all over the state, and that’s really good news.  If there was a really low density, I’d be concerned because it would mean really low water, but when we’re between normal and above normal [density], we’re not going to have an problems filling the reservoirs and keeping streams flowing.”

Pattee is encouraging everyone to enjoy the snow while it’s here.




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