Hydrologic outlook
Late spring/early summer 2013 Wyoming snowmelt flood potential outlook
by National Weather Service, Riverton, Wyoming
February 22, 2013
This late spring/early summer 2013 snowmelt flood potential flood outlook includes major headwater streams across Wyoming. The outlook is from May through the end of June.
Although current snowpack conditions across Wyoming are starting point to a low potential for snowmelt flooding, it is way too early to make any reasonable long-range prediction on the magnitude of flooding due to mountain snowmelt runoff.
Wyoming generally does not see significant mountain snowmelt runoff until early to middle May, with mountain snowmelt runoff peaking around early June. For instance, the peak runoff along Wind River at Riverton did not occur until July 2, 2011. Also, spring (April - June) rain and spring mountain snow accounts for up to 50 percent of the total annual precipitation at many locations east of the Continental Divide.
This outlook is also based on various factors such as snow water equivalents (SWES) in the mountain snowpack, basin morphology, extent of burn scars from 2012 fires, amount of bark beetle kill, and likely temperature and precipitation trends during late spring/early summer.
Additional information:
Wyoming Spring Flood Potential graphic:
www.crh.noaa.gov/images/riw/hydro/floodoutlook.png
(updated by the 25th of the month--January-May)
Wyoming Water Supply graphic:
www.crh.noaa.gov/images/riw/hydro/watersupply.png
(updated by the 15th of the month--January-Mune)
Wyoming Average Precipitation by Basin graphic:
www.crh.noaa.gov/images/riw/hydro/wyomingprecip.png
(updated monthly)
Wyoming Drought Information Statement and graphics:
www.crh.noaa.gov/riw/?n=drought
(updated at least once a month)
Wyoming Monthly Hydrologic Summary and graphics:
www.crh.noaa.gov/images/riw/hydro/hydro_report.pdf
(updated around the 15th of every month)
Current and forecast Wyoming streamflows and/or river stages:
water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=riw
waterdata.usgs.gov/wy/nwis/rt
Other hydrological information for Wyoming can be found at the NOAA
hydrology website:
www.crh.noaa.gov/riw/?n=snowpack
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