TOO EARLY TO PREDICT IF SNOWPACK ACCUMULATION IS SUFFICIENT TO LIFT DROUGHT DECLARATION BY SPRING

The Water Supply Availability Committee comprised of experts from various federal and state agencies met on February 13, 2025 to evaluate the accumulation of snow to date and determined it was too early to depict if the drought declaration could be lifted by Spring. During their monthly meeting to discuss Washington’s water supply, they determined more snow was needed and even if more snowfall was realized it may not remain long enough to positively impact the drought conditions. The Department of Ecology 2024 drought declaration is currently valid until April 2025 but will continue to be evaluated for drought recovery through the remainder of the Winter. Funding for drought response remains open and this Winter grant applications need to address continued drought impacts to the water supply from 2024 drought conditions.

Conditions Effecting Water Supply:

• January 2025 was Washington’s 5^th driest recorded according to the Washington State Climate Office.
• Water temperatures have been above normal and have tied for the 18^th warmest period on record from October to January.
• Western Washington precipitation has been below normal while Eastern Washington has seen above normal precipitation. Forecasts indicate a chance that temperature in the state will be below normal with precipitation to be above normal throughout February and further into Spring. They also expect La Niña to remain through Spring but to remain weak.
• Statewide snowpack levels are 87% of normal as of February 13, 2025 according to the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NCRS) and since October 1, 2024 precipitation is at 80% of normal.
• The Olympic Peninsula and the Northern and Central Cascades have received 30%, or less, of normal precipitation.
• The Yakima Reservoir System is 34% full which is the lowest level since 1971. This system is run by the Federal Bureau of Reclamation. To attain drought recovery, the Yakima area needs above average snowpack.
• Eastern Washington is fairing better than Western. Since October, across the state overall precipitation is less than the average and runoff below normal.

To read the Department of Ecology article in its entirety, go here.