Snow melting faster than normal
All Colorado river basins now reporting below-average totals
Rocky Mountain News
Published May 4, 2006 at midnight
Warm, dry weather in April has led to Colorado's mountain snowpack levels falling quicker than usual, federal officials said Wednesday.
The statewide snowpack dropped from 94 percent of average on April 1 to only 65 percent of average on May 1, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
"The snow melted earlier this year. It's been warm and dry. That's about the significance of it," said Mike Gillespie, snow survey supervisor for the conservation service.
Every one of Colorado's river basins posted a drop, from 20 percent to 38 percent, the agency reported.
The biggest drop came in the Gunnison Basin, from 94 percent of average last month to 56 percent of average this week.
Every Colorado river basin is reporting below-average snowpack totals for the first time this season, said Edward Biggers, acting state conservationist for the federal agency.
"This year's April weather was quite unlike that of last year, when most of the state received good moisture, especially across the eastern plains," Biggers said.
Precipitation totals for April across Colorado were 69 percent of average.
The metro area will see plenty of gray skies and rain showers during the next two days.
The forecast calls for drizzly weather through Friday night for Denver as well as northeast and north-central Colorado.
Rain showers and isolated thunderstorms are in the forecast for both days along with areas of fog after midnight Thursday.
But don't expect any significant precipitation, the National Weather Service advised.
"I would say light showers, drizzling in the evening, a pretty typical May," said Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Fredin.
"We'll be cool and unsettled."
Dry and not so high
A breakdown, by river basin, of Colorado snowpack levels, as reported by the Natural Resources Conservation Service:
Area Percent of average as of May 1 Percent of average a year ago
• Gunnison 56 percent 45 percent
• Colorado 78 percent 89 percent
• South Platte 74 percent 96 percent
• North Platte 87 percent 111 percent
• Yampa- White River 84 percent 117 percent
• Arkansas 66 percent 60 percent
• Rio Grande 41 percent 29 percent
• San Juan- Animas-Dolores 44 percent 33 percent
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