IntermtntClimateSummaryJune2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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INTERMOUNTAIN WEST CLIMATE SUMMARY, JUNE 2006 Preci pitation through 5/31/06 Source: NOAA/ESRLlPSD Climate Diagnostics Branch, NOAA Climate Prediction Center In May, precipitation totals in the Intermountain West region ranged in amounts from 0 to +3 inches (Figure 3a). Northeast and north\vest Wyoming, and the north central mountains of Colorado received the largest amounts, and eastern Colorado received higher amounts of precipitation than in previous months, receiving 1 to 2 inches. All of the southern half of Utah is extremely dry, receiving from 0 to .50 inches total for the month of May. Percent of average for the month of May (Figure 3b) is mostly belo\v average. Some portions of northern central Wyo- ming, northern Colorado mountains and southeast Colorado is near average. The percent of average precipitation since the start of the water year (Figure 3c) reflects the high sno\vfalllevels in northwest Utah and Colorado mountains and low snowfall levels in central Wyoming and southeast Colorado. According to NWS, Grand Junction, warmer and drier than normal conditions across western Colorado and much of Utah have resulted in an earlier and prolonged sno\vmelt runoff sea- son. Above average flows on rivers and streams \vere prevalent across northwest Colorado and northeast Utah, with some flooding experienced in Routt County on the Yampa and Elk Rivers. Below average peaks occurred in southwest Colorado and southeast Utah where the snowpack was much below normal this Winter. The early, rapid runoff has rene\ved drought concerns, especially for southwest Colorado. Moderate drought conditions have returned to that area, with little change expected throughout the summer (see page 16). Notes The water year runs from October 1 to September 30 of the following year. As of October 1, 2005, we are in the 2006 wa- ter year. The water year is more representative of climate and hydrological activity than the standard calendar year. It reflects the natural cycle of accumulation of snow in the winter and run- off and use of water in the spring and summer. Average refers to the arithmetic mean of annual data from 1996-2005. This period of record is only ten years long because it includes SNOTEL data, which have a continuous record be- ginning in 1996. Percent of average precipitation is calculated by taking the ratio of current to average precipitation and multi- plying by 100. The data in Figs. 3a-c come from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. The maps are created by NOAA's Climate Diagnos- tics Center, and are updated daily (see website below). These maps are derived by taking measurements at individual meteo- rological stations and interpolating (estimating) values between known data points to produce continuous categories. Figure 3a. Total precipitation in inches for the month of May 2006. Figure 3b. Percent of average precipitation for the month of May 2006. Figure 3c. Percent of average precipitation accumu- lated since the start of water year 2006. (Oct. 1 - May 30, 2006). 3 2 1.5 0.5 0.25 0 Inches Wet 200 150 120 80 I 60 40 Dry Wet 200 150 120 80 60 40 Dry On the Web - For the most recent versions of these and maps of other climate variables including individual station data, visit: http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/products/current.html. - For precipitation maps like these and those in the previous summaries, which are updated daily visit: http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/Drought/. - For National Climatic Data Center monthly and weekly precipitation and drought reports for Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and the whole U.S., visit: http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/c1imate/research/2002/perspectives.html. - For a list of weather stations in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, visit: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary. RECENT CONDITIONS I 6