Snowpack Levels Improving With More Snow

Snow continues to fall in the Washington Cascades with another 5 to 15 inches expected in the mountains and on mountain passes before Friday. While all that snow isn't good news for travelers, it's great news for skiers, boarders and for those watching the snowpack for spring and summer irrigation.

Officials with the Bureau of Reclamation in Yakima say the snowpack is still below normal, but it's getting close to normal. On Jan. 5 the upper basin snowpack was at 43 percent of normal and the lower basin was at 66 percent. Today the upper basin is at 72 percent and the lower is at 98 percent.

With more snow in the forecast, Reclamation officials expect snowpack levels to be at normal or above before the end of the month.
All that means good news for growers who rely on the snowpack to supply water for crops in the spring and summer months.