The snowpack at C1, Niwot Ridge, on Jan 1, 2002 contained 2.625 inches of
water, which is 45% of average since 1981.  This ties the 94/95 season for
the lowest snowpack, at this time of year, on record (1981-present).
It is also the fourth year in a row that the snowpack was below average, 
following three years that were above.

The SnoTel record reports 2.8", or 53% of average (1961-90), for Niwot.

Statewide, according to the NRCS SnoTel network, the basin with the highest
snowpack now is the Gunnison, with 77%, and the lowest is the Upper Rio Grande
basin with 48% of average snowpack.  The total winter precipitation is also
the same (77% and 48% for the Gunnison and Upper Rio Grande, respectively),
indicating that the state is just getting less moisture, not that the moisture
is coming in the form of rain, or that the weather conditions are less
conducive to snowpack development, compared to the past.

So, the state of Colorado as a whole is 3/4 or less of average, and the distribution
is very different compared to last year.  Then, the gradient of most to least
was roughly south-west to north-east.  This year, conditions relfect the dominance
of due westerly storms, with one or two south-westerly ones: i.e. basins on the
west are highest (Upper Colorado, Gunnison, Yampa/White),
and one SW basin (San Miguel, Dolores, Animas, San Juan at 64%)
is doing modestly well, relative to the state. 
However, basins that rely heavily on SW, and easterly (upslope) storms, are not
doing as well (S. Platte, Arkansas, Upper Rio Grande).
The South Platte snowpack is 54% of average, which ranks as second lowest in
the state, and the Arkansas basin is close behind with a snowpack of 56% of average.
Interestingly, the N Platte/Laramie basin snowpack is in the top half (68%), and does
not neatly fit the above generalization.

Well, the season is young yet, so stay tuned!

The hand-sampled record at C1 follows.

Until next month,
Mark L.

Sno Tel Data  Niwot Ridge, C-1
Snow Water Content (inches)
Values are for the end of given month
except as noted for May and June

     Season     Dec      Jan      Feb      Mar      Apr     May            Jun 
      81/82    4.75     10.5     11.75    15.5     14.9    12.0   (17th)
      82/83    3.63              4.75     12.75     17     11.75  (30th)
      83/84    12.6     13.25     15      18.9     20.75   
      84/85    3.75     6.25      8.5     10.25    8.75
      85/86     6.5      7.5      14      15.38    17.5
      86/87    6.25     8.75     11.25    12.75    11.75
      87/88     6.5      9.1     12.4     15.75    14.5
      88/89     5.5      7.6      11      10.25     5.6
      89/90     6.5     9.25     10.75    16.1     16.5
      90/91      3        5       7.1     9.38      10
      91/92    6.65     6.75      8.5     12.25    10.25
      92/93    5.75     6.75     10.75     14      15.875
      93/94    7.125    9.063    12.25    13.25    13.25     2.5  (18th)
      94/95    2.625    3.925     7.0     10.125   16.75    17.0  (22nd)  12.375  (13th) 
                                                            19.75 (30th)
      95/96    7.50     12.00    17.5     20.375   18.75     6.125 (15th)
      96/97    8.75     12.625   15.125   14.625   20.375   18.0   (15th)
      97/98    7.0625   10.0     10.125   12.875   17.25    12.875 (15th)
      98/99    3.25     6.625     8.375    9.125   14.125   14.25  (15th)
      99/2000  3.5      7.5      10.625   12.375    7.625   
      00/2001  4.375    5.375     7.125   10.00     9.125
      01/2002  2.625

     Average   5.628    8.306    10.694   13.301   14.031