April Snow Boosts Washington Snowpack Closer to Average

(Snoqualmie, WA) -- Washington state's snowpack is getting a boost from April snowfall. The Natural Resources Conservation Service says the statewide snowpack jumped from 80-percent of the average to 96-percent of the average in the first 15 days of this month. One snowfall measuring site near Snoqualmie Pass recorded a record-breaking 89 inches of snow during that period.

The Central Columbia basin has 76% of average snowpack, while the Yakima Basin's ranges from 36% to 58% of average. It's expected that several streams will have low flow again this summer. That makes the snowpack even more important because it's, in essence, water that can be stored for later use.