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<br />Gunnison basin snowpack peak was average. <br />North Plate Basin had an above average snowpack peak and peaked earlier than usual. <br />Rio Grande Basin snowpack peak was below average. <br />South Platte Basin snowpack peak was slightly below average. <br />Yampa/White Basin had an above average snowpack peak. <br />San Juan/Dolores Basin snowpack peak was below average. <br /> <br />The Statewide snowpack peak for this year was 95% of average and currently is 86% of peak. <br /> <br />Precipitation for the year so far is following the same pattern as Colorado's snowpack with it being above <br />average in the northern part of the State and very dry in the southern part of the state. Currently, <br />statewide precipitation is at 100% of average, and is closely tracking last year's levels. <br /> <br />Reservoir storage is 98% of average and 114% of last year statewide and has improved every month since <br />2002 and 2003. The Gunnison Basin storage is above average, the Colorado Basin is average, and the <br />Arkansas and Rio Grande Basins currently have the lowest storage in the State. <br /> <br />The streamflow forecast shows a steady recovery from March 1 to April 1 with wet conditions in the <br />northern portion of Colorado and dry in the southern half of the State. Streamflow is currently 50-75% of <br />average across the southern part of the State and average to above average in the northern part of the State <br />and the Front Range. Statewide streamflows are currently average to above average. The normal peak <br />runoff season is June 7-10, 2006. <br /> <br />Report from NOAA-The National Weather Service's Local Weather Forecast <br />Treste Huse, with the National Weather Service (NWS), gave a 24-hour and an 8-14 day forecast that <br />included wanner than average temperatures and a mixture of precipitation across Colorado. There is a <br />slight chance of moisture April through June as this is usually the wet season for Colorado. <br /> <br />Long-Term Weather Forecast Report <br />John Henz, with HDR Engineering, reported that this year Colorado has experienced a variable weather <br />pattern. He is forecasting stonny and cooler weather for the end of April through the first few days in <br />May. Temperatures for May 8 -18 are predicted to be above average. He is predicting the Yampa-White <br />Basin, especially around Steamboat to have a high runoff in May, as well as the Eagle and Blue Rivers in <br />the Upper Colorado Basin. Additionally, the Front Range and Denver to Fort Collins are at a high risk for <br />flash flooding from late spring through early summer, and the southwest mountains are predicted to have <br />a monsoon July through August with high potential for flash flooding. Runoff peak is predicted from <br />early May into early June. He stated La Nina has weakened so much that it may no longer be relevant. <br /> <br />Report from NOAA - Climate Prediction Center Operational Climate Forecast and Experimental <br />Seasonal Forecast Guidance <br />Klaus Wolter, representing NOAA, stated that while La Nina conditions have weakened rapidly, the <br />effects may linger into spring. Even though the forecast is uncertain and variable for this spring and <br />summer, he is predicting a dry spring, wanner than average temperatures for the spring and the summer, <br />and favorable odds for a monsoon season in July through September. The wann, windy and dry <br />conditions in the eastern plains continue to be a concern because of the resulting increased fire danger <br />there and in the lower Front Range foothills. The weather patterns of April 2006 are tracking similar to <br />those of April 2002. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is forecasting that drought conditions will <br />intensify in the south and southeastern portion of Colorado through July. <br />