Most of Utah still facing severe drought despite steady storms
Jan 19, 2023, 11:07 AM
SALT LAKE CITY — It’s been storm after storm here in the Beehive State, something we have desperately needed coming out of an incredibly mild winter last year. So these storms beg the question: Is Utah out of its drought?
“We have been seeing what we need this year and it’s so nice to see for once,” said Glen Merrill, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service.
BIG IMPROVEMENTS from July to today on the drought monitor! #utwx #ActivePattern šš§ļø pic.twitter.com/YqRTQrHtXj
— Matthew Johnson (@KSL_Matt) January 12, 2023
“Now it’s about taking that snow thatās up in the mountains and getting it into our area reservoirs replenishing groundwater systems and increasing the flow of area precipitation,” Merrill said.
“The deficit in precipitation on what we should have had versus what we got, since 2019 we are down about 12 inches of water on a statewide average. We have recouped about seven thus far this winter. We still have a ways to go and we have made really positive trends,” Merril said.
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