Initial Wyoming Spring Flood Potential Outlook

Initial January 2015 Wyoming Spring Flood Potential Outlook----issued January 26, 2015

Quick Synopsis:

Mountain snowpack and associated snow water equivalents (SWEs) across Wyoming were generally near average by late January.  SWEs at the peak snowmelt runoff elevations (8,000’ – 9.500’) were the highest across northwestern Wyoming at 110 to 120 percent of median; while across southern Wyoming, SWEs were 70 to 80 percent of median at the peak snowmelt runoff elevations.

This outlook is based on various diverse hydrological factors such as snow water equivalents (SWEs) in the mountain snowpack, basin morphology (i.e. how basins respond to snowmelt),  amount of bark beetle kill, low elevation snow depths, and likely temperature and precipitation trends during late spring/early summer. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

…Low to Moderate potential for flooding associated with snowmelt is expected across various headwater streams along eastern portions of the Big Horn Basin.  Streams with the highest potential for flooding include Medicine Lodge Creek, Ten Sleep Creek (Ten Sleep), and portions of the  Nowood River…

…Low to Moderate potential for flooding associated with snowmelt (due to current snow depths) is expected along portions of Hot Springs County…

…All other of headwater basins across Wyoming can expect a generallyLow potential for flooding due to springtime snowmelt...

The next graphical outlook will be issued around the 25^th of February. 

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The current Wyoming Spring 2015 Snowmelt Runoff Flood Potential Outlook graphic: