Lingering snow drifts from late December storms had mostly cleared by mid-January except in shaded spots or places where it had drifted especially deep. Several recent storms have blanketed all areas in another 8 inches of snow. Ranchers with early lambing and calving schedules have been working hard to keep newborn animals alive in the arctic temperatures of the last week. Grazing livestock and wildlife have had to work the last two weeks to find forage in range and pasture situations.