NOAA predicts warmer, drier winter in Idaho

Idaho News
By Greg Foley; Idaho Mountain Express The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service is predicting warmer and drier conditions in Idaho during the heart of the winter.Map courtesy of NOAA. Return of El Niño likely to influence nation’s weather in different ways, agency states The weather in the Northwest is likely to be warmer and drier than normal this coming winter, possibly leaving skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts longing for the heavy snowfalls of last year. That’s according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service, which released a set of official long-range weather forecasts on Thursday. The forecast maps for the heart of the winter—December, January and February—indicate above-normal temperatures for most of the northern part of the…
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Idaho Water Supply Committee: Record-dry January, drought outlook ‘grim’

Idaho News
By Meredith Spelbring; East Idaho News TWIN FALLS (KIVI) – After a near “perfect” start to the season, officials with the Idaho Water Supply Committee said a record-dry January and dry forecasts are not ideal for the widespread drought across Idaho. Nearly 50% of Idaho is in drought conditions, with the remaining half of the state approaching drought conditions, according to David Hoekema with the Idaho Department of Water Resources. The fall of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 were “perfect” conditions from a water supply standpoint, but one of the driest 30-day streaks in January is causing concern. “We are getting to a point we are probably going to start recommending an expansion of drought in Idaho if we don’t see the needed precipitation coming in,” said Hoekema. As…
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