From Deseret News archives:
Utah's drought may be over, climatologist says
State's spring was wettest in 19 years; many reservoirs are filled
Recent snowmelt and spring rainstorms have filled many reservoirs and made Utah seem more like Seattle than the arid West.
"This first week in June continues to be more like spring than summer," said Eugene Van Cor, forecaster for the National Weather Service.
Van Cor reported that the Salt Lake City International Airport has already recorded about an inch of precipitation for June. The average for the first week of the usually dry month is .29 inch.
Mark Eubank, meteorologist for KSL-TV and radio, says he figures Salt Lake is about 400 percent above normal for the week.
These totals add to the 8.5 inches Utah logged for the spring, 2.5 inches above normal and almost as much as 2003 and 2004 combined.
"Statistically, it's been a very wet spring," Van Cor said.
In fact, Eubank said this is the wettest spring in 19 years. The meteorological spring includes March, April, and May, but it seems that Utah weather wants spring to continue right on through June.
"This first week in June is much like early spring. Quite a few places picked up a little bit of snow," Van Cor said of a storm on Tuesday that brought snow to Tooele, Logan and higher elevations along the Wasatch Front.
With a few more inches of rain, Melek believes the southeastern part of the state could clear itself of the drought situation as well.
The U.S. drought monitor currently shows northern Utah as neutral out of any drought situation and only parts of southern Utah as abnormally dry. For the past five years, the monitor has painted Utah red and orange, even in the winter months, meaning that it was severely and extremely dry.
However, Brent Bourgeous, KSL weather producer, wants to see groundwater and lakes, especially the Great Salt Lake, replenished before he declares Utah out of a drought situation.
Ironically, this week's water brings relief from flooding dangers. The cold temperatures have been keeping the snow on the mountain, and small amounts of rain in short periods of time don't challenge the rivers.
Comments
- BYU-I devotional: Elder Clayton 1:38 p.m.
- Juan Diego pulls away from Wasatch 1:34 p.m.
- Iran began nuke plant 7 years ago 1:16 p.m.
- Fort Hood suspect charged 1:16 p.m.
- Obama orders Fort Hood intel review 1:06 p.m.
- Federal deficit sets October record 1:04 p.m.
- 5A: Davis, Hunter by the numbers 12:58 p.m.
- Cougars land Vegas standout 12:52 p.m.
- Salt Laker places 5th in skeleton 12:49 p.m.
- Traffic stop leads to teen sex arrest 12:48 p.m.
- House passes health care bill
298 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
286 - TCU showdown has big implications
195 - Senators want food tax restored
158 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - Will state consider gay rights law?
114 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
112 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
110
One of my guilty pleasures is perusing the covers of celebrity magazines...
The galactic center shines like firelight through gaps in …
For the last time! Limbaugh isn't broadcast on KSL. When are you guys even...
'I'm more of a freedom guy so...' V, that is all well and good. However,...
Is Deseret News going to report that Jeffery R Holland also issued a...
it is time for another revenue stream---change tort law so that all punitive...
That would be All-or-Nothing thinking. Conservatives are good at that. ...
seems to be me the only compassion being shown by the main steam media nut...
I agree with the last three comments posted to page one of this thread,...
Take the Utes to cover the spread on this one. I'm not going to guarantee a...
I don't think the long trip will be a big deal for San Juan. They did it...
Thomas Sowell is always on target. Agree with most of what he said. In the...



You can be the first to comment on this story.