Rainfall totals below average

WORLAND – With rain finally falling on the Big Horn Basin on Wednesday evening, climate records from the National Climatic Data Center and National Weather Service indicate that moisture totals for 2016 are well below the historic average.

The record amount for this week was .03 inches in 2012, while Wednesday’s recording was .02 for Worland. The month-to-date total is .08 inches, with a total of 4.13 inches since January 1, .80 inches below normal. Last year at this time, Worland had received 5.65 inches since Jan. 1.

Currently around the Big Horn Basin, Cody is .28 inches below normal, Greybull is .12 below normal, and Powell is .21 below normal. No significant rainfall is forecast until the middle of August.

Average temperatures for the area were 78, with a high of 103 in Greybull and 102 in Worland.

Higher temperatures have fish managers with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department concerned about the impacts on both fish and anglers, according to a recent press release. As water levels drop, temperatures rise. Cool and warm water species such as walleye or bass can generally tolerate the harsher conditions, but warm water is a real threat to trout and other coldwater species.