Wet Winter Changes Drought Outlook

Northern Arizona’s mountains and topography have a huge impact on the weather, making forecasts challenging. The winter of 2022 - '23 was no exception, and surprised locals and meteorologists alike with record precipitation and snow in many locations. “This spring we had a very deep snowpack, one for the books,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist in Charge Brian Klimowski, Ph.D. “This was the longest we’ve ever had 10 inches of snow on the ground in the Flagstaff area in history.” In addition, Babbitt Lake overflowed its banks, a lake that can be dry for years. On Discovery with Babbitt Ranches, hear from Klimowski about the complexity of the area and how weather forecasting has expanded to include predicting impacts on communities and highways in an effort to keep people safe.