It's not just the snowpack that's feeling the affect of above average temperatures and well below average precipitation.

"For U.S. pasture and rangeland conditions from USDA NASS for the 2021 season continues to indicate that look at  at all years going to back to the turn of the century the beginning of the 21st century we continue to see record low pasture conditions for this time of year," noted USDA Meteorologist, Brad Rippey. "Overall we're at 44% very poor to poor. That's actually a 3 percentage point improvement from what we saw a week ago. And then the good to excellent ratings at 24%. That is a two percentage point increase."

Rippey noted this spring is very similar to the conditions reported in the Spring 2013 which  was followed by a serious drought.

"At this point in the season we are really in uncharted territory."

He added that there were a handful of years that had lower conditions, but this was later in the year. 

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