Snow forecast to fall January 30-31 will likely increase the final totals, but as of Jan. 30, Wisconsin River Valley month-to-date total precipitation was a third of normal north and 20 percent of normal central according to Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC), Wausau.

WVIC, in operation since 1907, is licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to manage 21 headwater storage reservoirs to regulate a uniform flow in the 430-mile long Wisconsin River.

Two warm-temperature induced snowfalls Jan. 24-30 coaxed from one to three inches of snow out of the clouds that formed to cover the valley with a nearly complete blanket of white. Snow depths ranged from 1-5 inches over the 12,000 square mile basin. Supplemented by lake-effect snow, snow depths in northern Vilas County were in the range of 10 inches.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center has forecast a warm spell Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 during which two systems will produce precipitation, both snow and rain, in Wisconsin. One to three inches of snow will be added to portions of the Wisconsin Valley in the first event, but the amount from and the track of the second system Feb. 2-3 was uncertain as of Jan. 30. The change to a more stormy pattern, NWS said, was due to a ridge of high pressure remaining off the West Coast and winds from the Pacific Ocean carrying warmer air across the continent.

The pattern was forecast to shift and for colder temperatures to occur through Feb. 7. NWS said the potential existed for a number of weak storms to cross the Midwest during the period.

Looking out to Feb. 11, NWS said the trend for an increase in storm activity appeared set to continue.

WVIC has been monitoring precipitation forecasts because the headwaters basin snowpack this winter has been non-existent to below normal in amount. Melting snow in spring can provide 20-30 percent of the water necessary to refill reservoirs. Due to the lack of snow, WVIC has reduced Wisconsin River flow goals to conserve a portion of the water currently in storage for the spring recharge period.

Reservoir storage Jan. 26 was 42 percent of capacity.

Release from Spirit Reservoir, nearing 20 percent of capacity, was reduced. In accordance with its FERC license, WVIC will in the remaining weeks of winter adjust the rates of release among the five large man-made reservoirs to bring them into balance with operation plan index levels.

Another dip to double digit below zero temperatures that reduce the amount of liquid natural supply and a reduction in the release of water from reservoirs combined to produce a decrease in weekly average regulated flow in the Wisconsin River Jan. 24-30. For the locations where long-term averages are recorded, flow rates at all four fell below normal for the first time since September.

The coldest temperatures of the winter, so far, occurred Jan. 27 when 13 of 16 locations in the Wisconsin Valley recorded lower lows than had occurred Jan. 23, the date of the now second coldest temperatures this season. The coldest temperature, also the coldest reported in Wisconsin, was minus 24 degrees recorded at both Eagle River and Rhinelander.

Willow Reservoir in Oneida County dipped to minus 18 degrees and Wausau reported minus 14 degrees. The temperature fell below zero each night at Willow and four of seven nights at Wausau Jan. 24-30. The resulting weekly average temperatures were nine and 10 degrees below normal at Willow and Wausau, respectively.

-End of Report-