Along the Wasatch Front from Brigham City into Utah County, April is always the wettest month. But this year, April was dry.

Elsewhere in the state, some areas are at only half their normal precipitation levels."Those who have reservoir storage are in fairly good shape," said Norman E. Stauffer, chief of hydrology for the Utah Division of Water Resources.

"Those that don't have reservoir storage, some of the farmers are going to be hurting."

April did not help anyone with drenching showers.

"It was warm and the precipitation was below, and no snow in the valleys," summarized William J. Alder, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service regional office in Salt Lake City.

That is generally the situation throughout the state, he said, though a few places had nearly normal precipitation.

No snow? When's the last time that happened? Only four other Aprils on record, he said: 1939, 1940, 1952 and 1954.

In Salt Lake City, only 0.76 of an inch of rain fell during the month, 36 percent of normal. However, heavy precipitation earlier in the year means that the water year total (October-April) remains near normal, at 9.93 inches, or 95 percent of the usual.

Besides the dry weather, northern Utah has experienced hotter temperatures than usual. "This is the seventh month in a row of temperatures above normal," Alder said.

The snowpack is dwindling, with snow mostly restricted to 8,000 feet altitude and above. Still, he said, reservoirs are in good shape, nearly full from earlier storage.

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According to the Utah Climate Center at Utah State University, Logan, temperatures are about a month ahead of normal. In other words, it feels like early June, not early May.

Precipitation is about 76 percent of normal throughout the state. In the western desert areas, such as Callao, Juab County, moisture is pegged at only 52 percent. Hanksville is even drier, at 43 percent.

One climate expert at the center said southeastern Utah is "pretty dry."

You can reach Joe Bauman by e-mail at bau@desnews.com

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