The U.S. Drought Monitor map released today shows areas of drought impact in the United States. ‘S’ indicates short-term drought areas, typically less than six months. ‘L’ indicates long-term drought areas, greater than six month. (Richard Tinker/U.S. Drought Monitor)

The National Water and Climate Center predicted today that “much of the West” will have “a normal water supply” this year, although the Southwest, Sierra Nevada region and Pacific Northwest are beginning 2015 drier than normal.

Parts of Colorado, Utah and Nevada are experiencing prolonged drought, focusing attention again on the winter snowfall, added the center, a division of the Agriculture Department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Right now, “snowpack and streamflow forecasts look pretty close to normal for much of the West,” NWCC hydrologist Cara McCarthy said. “A couple of major regional exceptions are the Southwest and California, which are unusually dry, once again.”

Overall, the basins of the Missouri, Colorado and Columbia rivers are expected to receive near normal streamflows.

In the Pacific Northwest, although rainfall during the fall months has been above average, the current snowpack is far below normal because of higher than normal temperatures.

“This is just the first forecast of the season; everything can change,” McCarthy said. “A weak El Niño is forecast for this year, which might play a part in coming months.”

Although variable, El Niño conditions tend to deliver more than normal winter precipitation to the Southwest and less to the Pacific Northwest, the center said.

▪ USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — State Water Supply Outlook Reports
▪ U.S. Drought Monitor