Snowy Greetings!

The snowpack news from Niwot Ridge (C1) and Colorado is generally good on 31 
January 2005, and points to how quickly conditions can change!  As of noon on this date, 
the snowpack at C1 contains 7.7 inches of water (SWE) which is 98% of average.
Two days ago, it was 5.90" SWE, or 77% of average.  The increase over the past two 
days is the result of a rather strange upper air circulation pattern, a deep NE/SW oriented 
trough.  This pattern is proving to be quite the snowmaker for the South Platte basin, and 
a difficult period for weather forecasters.  It is still snowing now, so the actual end of the 
month values may be even higher.

The Snotel network value for Niwot is 7.6" SWE, or 99% of average, with cumulative 
winter precipitation of 121%, in good agreement with the hand measurements.  Note that 
the Snowpack Index is less than one (loosely interpreted as warmer than average for 
snowpack development).
Our South Platte basin was the driest in the state two days ago, but today is third driest, 
with 92% of average snowpack.  This barely bests the Yampa/White (89%), and the 
Laramie/North Platte (90%).
The highest snowpacks in the state continue to be in the south.  The Upper Rio Grande 
snowpack/cumulative winter precipitation is 159% / 141%, respectively, and the San 
Juan/San Miguel/Dolores/ Animas is 156% / 130%.

The snowpack pattern established earlier this year is continuing, both in Colorado, and 
the western US as a whole.  This is a classic El Nino pattern, and this in spite of the weak 
El Nino oceanic conditions, which are forecasted to stay weak for at least the next three 
months (6 January NOAA CDC).
In the US west, the northern states are generally below average, and the southern states 
are above.  Washington and Oregon are particularly dry, with one basin in Oregon 
showing 0%!  The snowpack in these two states is 27% and 40%, respectively.  The 
highest values are at the Great Basin sites of California (eastern Sierra Nevada), Arizona, 
and Utah, with 164%, 161%, and 152%, respectively.

In summary, Colorado snowpack continues to be much better than in the past few years 
(117% of average).  Snowpack in the Pacific NW states is particularly dismal, while in 
the southwestern states it is well above average.

Until next month, cheers!
Mark Losleben

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     4.813     7.75     7.875   10.125    3.69 (14th)
      04/2005  4.875    7.7

     Average   5.409    7.819    10.274   12.964   13.266