Tag Archives: weather

Idaho, U.S.

What Global Warming? Idaho has record snowpack levels, and it’s summer! Guarantees more flooding

According to surveyors from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, June 1 had Idaho breaking record snowpack levels.   Normally most of Idaho’s mountain snowpack melts off by the end of May.  This year’s cold wet spring has delayed that, and actually added to some the mountain snowpacks.

In eastern Idaho, Two Ocean Plateau’s snowpack is at 113% of peak average, as of June 28.  What global warming?

The concern now is that temperatures are finally warming up to what is normal for the time of the year, which means all that snow is gonna melt and just continue the flooding that’s already taking place.

The same is true of snowpacks in the Rockies, and other western U.S. mountain ranges.  This is why officials have warned the flooding from the Missouri River could last through the month of August.

Business/Economics, Idaho

What Global Warming? Idaho Potato farmers running out of time, cool weather adding to Global Food Crisis

It’s June 11, and potato farmers in Ashton, and Driggs, Idaho, have been hoping for warmer, dryer weather.  They can’t plant potatoes in wet, cold ground: “This season has been especially hard because every time we are about to get into the fields for a couple days it rains us out. It takes sometimes five to 10 days to dry up in good enough shape in preparation for planting.”-Dennis Fransen, potato seed farmer

Potato seed farmers are at the bottom of the potato farming chain.  Commercial potato farmers rely on the seed farmers for their new crop.  Bigger potatoes are sent to the commercial farmers to grow even bigger.  The small potatoes are kept for ‘seed’ for the next planting.  This year, because of the wet, cool weather it looks like most of the seed crop will be the small type, that commercial farmers don’t want.

 

Idaho, International

What Global Warming? Cooler weather delays East Idaho road construction, What Economic Recovery? Lack of funds will reduce Idaho road construction

“Every time we tried to schedule something, we had a storm come through. With the temperature and the moisture, you just can’t do it.”-James Orner, Idaho Transportation Department

Temperatures are finally warming up in eastern Idaho, and ITD officials hope to get ongoing road construction finished, and start new ones.

But just as the weather is warming up for ITD, funding is running out: “In the next few years, we’re going to see a rapid decline in the amount of construction that’s going to be available because there’s less funding available. With gas prices going up, people are driving less, and it’s affecting our revenues.”-Corey Krantz, Idaho Transportation Department

Funding for ITD comes, in part, from state gas taxes.