This first snowpack report is a bit ahead of the end of the month due to 
travel schedules, but perhaps this is better than a little late.

On the afternoon of December 29, 2003, the C1 snowpack was 15 inches deep, 
and contained 2.75" of water (SWE), which is 51% of average (hand measurement). 
The snowpack is very sugary throughout because there has been very little snow 
in the past weeks, and a very strong temperature gradient especially during the 
past few days.

The NRCS Snotel reports the C1 snowpack to have 3.2" SWE or 63% of average. 
The difference between the two measurements is larger than normal. This may 
be the result of a thin, uncohesive snowpack, and statisical effects of small 
numbers. A thin, sugary snowpack is more difficult to accurately capture by 
hand sampling compared to a deeper and/or more cohesive snowpack, and small 
changes in low values can appear as large differences on a percentage basis.

The Colorado basin reports are more interesting this year than the last few. 
The south west portion of the state is finally looking wetter after several 
very dry years. The west is also doing well, with the north central and north 
eastern portions driest right now. The Arkansas has the lowest snowpack at 
66%/74% of average for SWE and cummulative winter precipitation, respectively. 
The Yampa/White basin has the most with 108%/101%, respectively. In contrast 
to recent previous years, the Upper Rio Grande looks very healthy with 91%/88%, 
as does the San Miquel, Dolores, Animas, San Juan group with 94%/86%, 
respectively (SWE/precipitation).

This year also differs from the past in that more of the winter precipitation 
is sequestered in the snowpack than average, as noted by the SWE/precipitation 
ratios (the % average SWE is generally higher than the % average precipitation).

The western US is also looking quite healthy in general, with the exception of 
Arizona and New Mexico (although northern NM is not too dry with reports of 
74-95% of average. The rest of these two states are in the bottom quartile!). 
Snowpack in Nevada, Utah, and the California Sierra Nevada west of Reno, are 
in the 120-200% range. This general pattern of better snowpack in the northern 
and coastal parts of the west, and dry in Arizona and southertn NM may hold 
through this winter if Pacific Ocean temperatures behave as predicted. Klaus 
Wolter reports that ENSO conditions are tending toward El Nino, and that at 
the very least, a return to La Nina is unlikely (December 7 report).

So, overall, this early winter situation is very positive, even if C1 and the 
S. Platte are pretty dry - maybe they can catch up!

The complete hand-sampled record for C1 is at the end of this message.

Cheers! 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    4.25      6.19     7.563    0.0
      02/2003  4.00     5.25      8.5     16.75    14.375   11.44 (15th)
      03/2004  2.75  

     Average   5.432    7.967    10.389   13.197    13.409