BOISE — With significant potential for La Niña winter this year, Idaho hopes for more moisture after a historically dry year.
The prior water year — which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30 — saw a combination of hot temperatures and low precipitation for the northern half of the state. With La Niña on the horizon, the hope is that increased precipitation can alleviate some of the effects felt during the drought conditions experienced in the last year.
CURRENT PRECIPITATION EXPECTATIONS
The hope for this year is that La Niña brings greater precipitation to the region. This weather phenomenon is marked by the cooling of the ocean surface, which tends to bring colder temperatures and greater rainfall. At present, La Niña is anticipated to develop later in the year than normal. According to November estimates from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), these conditions have a 57% chance of establishing in the next few weeks, with this probability rising as we get deeper into November, December and January to more than 70%, Troy Lindquist, National Weather Service senior service hydrologist, said Tuesday at an Idaho Water Supply Committee meeting in downtown Boise.