NWS: Next Week is Wyoming Flood Awareness Week

Next week is Wyoming Flood Awareness Week, and officials with the National Weather Service in Riverton say, with Wyoming's mountain snowpack ranging between 120 percent and 160 percent of average, indiviguals who live near rivers and streams should be particularly cautious this spring.

NWS meteorologist Chris Jones says, in some areas, flood conditions may change rapidly overnight.

“We see snowmelt occur between the afternoon and evening hours in the mountains, which means, in those foothill communities, the water levels typically climb after dark,” Jones said. “Be prepared – just because the water levels aren’t high enough when you go to bed, that doesn’t mean things won’t change overnight.”

Jones also says it's important to create a flood evacuation plan before any flooding takes place.

“Where would you evacuate to? How would you get there? Is it a way that provides easy access to and from your property, so maybe you can avoid the creek or stream? And it’s also important to have something packed already – your important papers, medicine, and those kind of things,” Jones said.

Jones says mountain snowmelt in Wyoming tends to accelerate between May 15 and June 15.