Snow pack concerns could lead to water supply drought

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - After December brought some good snow storms, January and the beginning of February have brought us a lack of snowfall to add to the snow pack. Many experts are worried this could lead to another drought for this year.

Despite the drought over the past few weeks, some areas still have substantial snow pack. The Big Lost, Little Lost and Little Wood basins do have an above average snow pack for this time of year.

Not all local areas though are as fortunate as others. The Snake, Henry's Fork and Tetons and the Portneuf basins are all below average for their snow pack.

Since we were in a drought for most of the year last year, everywhere needs to have above average snow pack for us to fully recover. The only way this is going to happen is if we have continuous rain or snow coming in the next few months. Experts told us this was the case back in 2009. That year did pose a dry January and February followed by a wet March and April.

Unfortunately, most of the long term forecast suggests otherwise.

"We just don't see any big shift towards good atmospheric river moist stormy weather patterns," National Weather Service Hydrologist Troy Lindquist said. "So it looks like normal to below normal precipitation in the foreseeable future."