Winter storms have dumped on southwestern Utah but skimped in the north, and it appears the spring runoff, for now, will do the same.

In his February runoff-assessment presentation, National Weather Service hydrologist Brian McInerney said the forecast is for twice as much snowmelt than normal in southern Utah, especially around St. George.

But as you go farther north in the basin, the anticipated runoff declines: 50 percent in the Bear River, 50 percent in the Provo basin and 60 percent in the Six Creeks basin that flows to Salt Lake County.

The forecast was more optimistic in January, and could get more pessimistic between now and April 1, McInerney said, depending as always on the weather.

The long-term forecast based on the surface temperatures of the equatorial Pacific Ocean is for the mild El Nino now in effect to go neutral by June.

The short-term forecast for the state is for dry weather in the next five days.

Patty Henetz