Greetings!

This early season report is due to the hightened interest in water/snowpack
conditions, recently.  Although it is only one month into the new water year,
the conditions are encouraging.  All areas are near or above average (which
again may not mean too much at this early stage).  Anyway, here are the statewide
conditions as of early this morning (November 1, 2002), as reported by the SnoTel
network:

(The precipitation  percentages are reliable,
but the snowpack percentages "may not provide a valid measure of conditions").

 Basin         %SWE   %PPT

Gunnison     123%   128%
Upper Colo   140    121
So. Platte   108    131
  Niwot       225    159
Laramie/
N Platte     103    111
Yamps/White   99    119
Arkansas      97     99
Upper Rio Gr.123    107
San Miguel,
Dolores, San
Juan         114    125

For reference, the snowpack at C1 (Niwot) currently contains 1.8" of water (SWE), and the
cummulative precipitation to date (from October 1) is 2.7".
There is somewhere between 15" and 22" of snow on the ground.

           -----------------------------------------

The weather of the past week has been interesting at C1, and worth a short comment.
Six days ago, the ground was bare, dry and rocky.  Now, it looks like winter.
This is due, at least in part, to an unusally persistent low pressure
cell parked over northern Utah, pumping the right combination
of cold arctic air and Pacific moisture into the state, particularly the
northern parts.  Gulf of Mexico moisture may be making its way up the east
side, helping the Front Range snowfall accumulations as well.

The C1 period totals:
10/29 - 11/1 (0800 MST): 28" snowfall/1.63" SWE
10-26 - 11/1 (0800 MST): 31.5" snowfall/1.95" SWE

Daily values:
01/29  8" snow/0.49" SWE
10/30  3.5" snow/0.11" SWE
10/31  6" snow/0.46" SWE
11/1  10.5" snow/0.57" SWE

So, the story is encouraging at the very beginning of this water year.
Let's hope the next eleven months continue in this vein!

Cheers!
Mark

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