NORTH IDAHO – While the Washington State Department of Ecology declared a drought declaration, extreme drought has been reported in North Idaho by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The panhandle mountains are 15 inches below average precipitation, according to Dan Borsum, a Predictive Services Meteorologist for Northern Rockies Coordination Center, which is contracted through the U.S. Forest Service.
What does this mean for wildfire season? Borsum said Monday it really depends on how much precipitation we receive in May and June.
“If that does not arrive, then certainly, our predictions from the Northern Rockies Coordination Center are going to dramatically shift toward much greater concern,” Borsum said.
The snowpack and lack of precipitation early this spring positioned North Idaho for severe to extreme drought. In the map below, you can see which county is in which drought category.
“We really saw, more so than the below average precipitation, the above average temperatures this year, and that’s really what rather negatively affected our snowpack,” NonStop Local Weather Forecaster Justin Spinnie said.
“April is early to see a lot of what we’re seeing right now, and I think that’s why we’re seeing these drought declarations being put right now,” Spinnie said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts the Inland Northwest to see below-average precipitation May through June, with above-average temperatures.
“That’s only going to get exacerbated and worse as we get a little bit later into the summer,” Spinnie said.
Even though brush may appear to be green, Borsum says, looks can be deceiving. There’s a good chance that the foliage underneath could be dry.
“The lack of moisture could cause the fuels to be more responsive to the weather conditions. They’ll (firefighters) have to be very keen on watching what happens with alive vegetation,” Borsum said.
