The Grand Valley Needs Moisture
Is this the driest winter is over 100 years?
Yesterday I told you about the low snow pack up on The Grand Mesa. Down here in valley things aren't much better. It's dry. According to records going back over 100 years only one winter has been drier than this one. Since October 1, 2017 the Grand Valley has received just over an 1 inch of precipitation. The only winter drier was the 1976-77 season, which saw only 0.80 of an inch from October to February. The worst ever was back during the turn of the century, the winter of 1899-1900, where the valley only received an quarter inch of rain.
The reasons for the lack of moisture appear to be the effects of a weak La Niña. This weather pattern tends to push moisture towards the northern jet stream cutting Colorado out of the picture. The southern Colorado Rockies are having the worst of it. Snow-packs there are about 40 percent of normal.
If the weather pattern doesn't change soon, local, state and federal officials will start enacting ways to manage the drought. There is some good news. Some relief may be on the way. This weekends forecast calls for a little precipitation.
Grand Junction Nation Weather Service forecast:
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