The Utah Division of Water Resources map for Snow Water Equivalent Percent NRCS shows that the snow in the last month is about 109% of the average in the Uinta mountains and above 150% average in the Uinta Basin. As far as general precipitation for the month it is just above average for the month. It might seem that these generous storms will pull us out of the drought but it will take a full winter season of storms to make a true difference. The latest statewide assessment of the U.S. Drought Monitor shows that 51.2% of the state remains in extreme drought while 100% is abnormally dry. Jordan Clayton, supervisor of the Utah Snow Survey, stated that some areas of Utah are in deficits that are exceeding 17 inches but luckily northeastern Uintas are not “terribly deep in the hole, precipitation-wise.” At the statewide level the total deficit is around 12 inches. This is roughly 43% of what Utah normally gets in a year.
