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GRANGEVILLE, Idaho (AP) — Officials say snowpack levels in northern Idaho and Washington have improved over the last month, but both states could still be heading for an abnormally dry summer.
Karin Bumbaco with the Office of the Washington State Climatologist told The Lewiston Tribune that the seasonal outlook forecast for the spring are showing warmer- and drier-than-normal conditions for the Northwest. Bumbaco says that's concerning because the region may not build up enough snowpack to fully compensate. The Cascade region's snowpack is about 85 percent of normal, while Idaho's snow level is between 90 and 95 percent of normal.
Still, regional extension specialist Steve Van Vleet with Washington State University says it's too early for farmers to panic. He notes that last year was also drier than normal, but crops had very high yields.
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Information from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com
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