Weather forecasters say the conditions are right for an orderly snowmelt in the Inland Northwest, both in the urban areas and up in the mountains.
National Weather Service forecaster Greg Koch says the prediction is for dry weather this week and temperatures in the 50s, even 60s, in the lower elevations.
“We need to lose that low elevation snowpack here in the next couple of weeks so we can make room in our rivers and streams for the snow that’s going to come off the mountains in April, May and into early June," Koch said.
That mountain snowpack is at or slightly below normal, which means the chances of severe flooding are low. He says the forecast for the next two weeks calls for temperatures at or slightly warmer than usual and with less precipitation than normal.
Koch says low-lying areas, such as meadows and fields, could see some minor flooding as the ground slowly thaws. That, he says, is normal.