The National Weather Service says Wyoming can expect a warmer-than-usual winter this year.
Temperatures have been above average for more than a year, and Meteorologist Chris Jones says the trend is likely to continue. He says it’s not yet clear how much snow the region will get this winter, but dry conditions would not be surprising.
Jones says that doesn’t bode well for Wyoming’s farmers and ranchers.
“Last year we were very fortunate in that because of the big snows of the previous couple of seasons, we had plenty of snowpack that fed those rivers and reservoirs that got stored up for the 2011-2012 season,” Jones said. “We’ve obviously depleted a lot of those resources over this last summer. So without a good snow pack, especially east of the Continental Divide, it may be a more difficult irrigation season as well.”
Jones says temperatures are expected to drop toward the end of the holiday weekend, and he says much of Wyoming should get at least some snow then as well.