Recent snow storms salvage dry October

The first winter storm of the season brought cold and wet weather to San Juan County in the closing days of October. The snow storm added a little precipitation to what had been a cool and dry month.

Precipitation for October was 31 percent of normal in Monticello and 59 percent of normal in Blanding. The six inches of snow that fell in Monticello and Blanding in October is significantly more than the average year, which generally sees very little snow fall.

The snow-pack gained an early start in the water year, which begins on October 1, when more than a foot of snow fell at the Camp Jackson reporting station in the Abajo Mountain. Warm temperatures in November may signal a loss of the snow pack.