National Climatic Data Center, 13 February 2003

As noted by the Idaho office of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (Ron Abramovich):

• Some parts of Idaho received normal to above normal precipitation during January. The wet January at the Lewis Lake SNOTEL station broke a three-month dry run in the Upper Snake River Basin.
• However, longer term dry conditions are reflected in the water content of the mountain snow pack across much of the state. For example, the February 1, 2003 snow water content was below average across:
  • the Snake River Basin, ranking as the 21st driest out of 43 years. Also of interest is that only four of the 27 years with a below normal February 1 snowpack recovered to average or better by April 1, which is usually the peak of the snow season
  • the Boise Basin, ranking as the 15th driest February 1 report on record for the basin out of 43 years. In only two of the 21 years with a below average February 1 snowpack did the snow recover to average or better by April 1
  • the Middle Fork Salmon River Basin, ranking as the 19th driest out of 41 years. In only 4 of the 21 years with a below average February 1 snowpack did the snow recover to average or better by April 1
• Additional details are available from: http://www.id.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/water.htm

As explained by the National Weather Service (Jay Breidenbach),

• In Idaho, a heavy winter snowpack provides the source for meltwater in the spring and early summer when it is used for irrigation. January snowpack has been below normal, and the very high elevation at which the below normal snow pack even begins is alarming. Overflights of the southern Idaho mountains revealed hardly any snow on south facing slopes.
• As noted by Mr. Breidenbach, "It was interesting trying to explain ... that this [recent] warm rainfall, which almost caused the Weiser River to exceed Flood Stage on Monday and Tuesday, was probably not good news for the drought situation... If the water flows at this time of the year, the natural reservoir of snow will not be there in the Spring and Summer when it is needed."