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Show " mtktit i M Precipitation back near normal M. A moist, westerly flow over southern - Utah the past two weeks, climaxed by a major storm Friday, has brought relief to the moisture-starved area. What had been the second-dryest winter since the Cedar City Airport weather station opened in 1948, has suddenly risen to near-normal levels. Friday's storm, resulting from a unusually southerly pathway of a low pressure system along the Utah-Arizona Utah-Arizona border, brought somewhat of a surprisingly potent punch to Iron County. The storm, though powerful, was localized in impact to the southern Utah The sudden influx of moisture the past two weeks lifted the prercentage of area. St. George reported significant amounts of rain, and Beaver received some snow. Sites north of Beaver received just small amounts of snow. Cedar City was the hardest hit, compiling .71 of precipitation and 7.5 inches of snow Friday and Saturday. Parowan reported .45 and 6 inches and the Beryl Valley area received .84 and 6 inches. normal received in the 1980-81 water year from less than 60 percent, and rapidly declining, to 97 percent of normal. The snowpack, though, may still prove to be somewhat of a problem. From the 35 percent average before the storm, snowpack is expected to average 45-50 percent of normal now. Those depending on runoff from snowpack could still encounter difficulties dif-ficulties late this summer. |