The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has produced their latest snowpack estimates and predictions for summer water supplies. In summary, snowpack is above average in the northern parts of the state, and below in the southern parts. Here is the official statement...

Mountain snowpack and associated snow water equivalents (SWEs) across northern Wyoming were generally above average by late February; while SWEs across southern Wyoming basins were generally below average.   SWEs at the peak snowmelt runoff elevations (8,000’ – 9.500’) were the highest across the Powder, Bighorn, and Upper Green Basins at 115 to 135 percent of median.  The Little Snake and Sweetwater Drainages had SWEs at 70 to 75 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 runoff),  antecedent soil moisture, 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 headwater streams along western Big Horn Mountains.  Streams with the highest potential for snowmelt flooding include Medicine Lodge Creek, Ten Sleep Creek (Ten Sleep), and portions of the Nowood River…

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

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

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