SNOWMELT OUTLOOK VERIFICATION

Each spring the North Central River Forecast Center (NCRFC) issues a snowmelt outlook which provides guidance about expected flooding from runoff of melting snow. The outlook identifies two crests. The first is based on the normal melting of existing snowcover. The second includes the normal malting plus normal precipitation up to and through the melting period. The outlook is first issued in mid-February as a narrative statanent. It is updated as a numerical forecast in early Mhrch. This study attempts to verify the accuracy of the forecast by comparing the expected crests with observed crests at various locations in the major river basins of the NCRFC. 1988 North Central River Forecast Center (NCRFC) NWS (National Weather Service) NWC (National Water Center) Library Public Domain 1931