Washington Snowpack Sets New Record Low for April

The previous all-time low was 33%.  Now, it's well below that.

According to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service - who track snowfall and water data - Washington's snowpack was only at 22% of normal April 1st, a new record low.

The snowfall normally lasts well into the mid-summer, slowly melting off and replenishing Washington state's reservoirs and to a degre,e it's rivers.  But this year, it's very different.

According to the Conservation Service, the Cedar River basin area was completely snow free, and the Olympics were only at 3% of normal.

Other notable low-snow areas included:

*Snowpack on the East slopes of the Cascades was only 24%

*Spokane River Basin snowpack, only 31%

*Lower Columbia Basin (that's us) 16% of normal

However, more rainfall than snow has pushed many reservoirs to levels above where they are normally this time of year.  But the key is how long that water will stay in reserve through the later spring and summer.   Lots of slowly melting snowpack is the key to keeping the reservoirs high during long dry hot months of July and August.