Snowpack is healthy at higher elevations
By Terry Murry on Monday, January 20th, 2025 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – The snowpack for higher elevations in Oregon is flourishing in the mountains, but well below normal at lower elevations like Emigrant Springs. National Weather Service Meteorologist Camden Plunkett said most of the higher elevation areas are well above normal.
The Umatilla-Walla Walla-Willow zone is reporting snowpack at 130 percent. The highest in the state is Harney at 178 percent. The Hood-Sandy-Lower Deschutes is the lowest snowpack, measuring only 89 percent.
“A lot of the snow-water equivalent we’re seeing in the rivers is really coming down from the mid to lower elevations,” Plunkett said.
Snowpack peaks between mid-February and April, depending on elevation.” The River Forecast Center is, according to Plunkett, starting to see a near-normal to above-normal water supply in northeast Oregon and southeast Washington with most forecast points being above normal.
