First snow brings hope of relief

Last week saw the first snow of the season in Moorcroft and Pine Haven. By 6 a.m. on October 29, Moorcroft and the surrounding area sported about six inches of the much-needed heavy wet stuff.

The area enjoyed a continued gentler snowfall through the night and into the following morning as the town maintenance crew plowed the main streets.

With drought through the summer months and very little snow or rain falling over the last year, nearby ranchers have had to water their animals with tanks and buy hay while wildlife has begun coming into town to find food and fire is a constant danger. Many county and municipal residents hope to see much more snow added to the first fall over the coming winter months.

At this time, however, the National Integrated Drought Information System shows the western half of Crook County as still in extreme drought conditions and the east in severe drought, and predicts that this will continue for at least the next month.