Niwot Ridge LTER Snow Report for Mar 2007
Niwot Ridge LTER Snow Report for March 31st, 2007

Greetings! March weather was not favorable for the snowpack throughout the Western US. The snowpack at Niwot Ridge (C1) for the end of March remains above average. State wide, The South Platte River Basin snowpack is exactly average, and the snowpack in the rest of the state is less than average. The snowpack is now below average for all Western States.

Hand measurements made at Niwot Ridge (C1) on March 31st, 2007 show 15.25 inches of Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) for 117% of the 1982-2007 average hand measurements, and a snow depth of 43.8 inches. SNOTEL is reporting 15.1 inches of SWE for 122% of average. Almost all of this month’s precipitation at Niwot Ridge (C1) came at the end between the 27th and 31st in an upslope event.

The South Platte River Basin is at 100% of average SWE, and 106% of average total accumulated precipitation; Statewide, this is the highest percent of average SWE and the highest percent of average total accumulated precipitation. The San Miguel, Dolores, Animas and San Juan River Basins have the lowest percent of average SWE (61%). The Yampa and White River Basins have the lowest percent of average total accumulated precipitation (84%).

Across the West, Washington has the highest average Percent SWE, Colorado is second, and Arizona has the lowest average Percent SWE (97%, 78%, 22%). Washington still has above average Percent Accumulated Precipitation, Oregon is just below averave, and Arizona has the lowest Percent Accumulated Precipitation (115%, 99%, 59%). This is the first time this season that all Western States have a Snowpack Index (SI) less that 1; further illustrating March’s unfavorable weather for the Western US snowpack.

Until next month

Kurt

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	(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	10.125	16.75	17	(22nd)	12.375(13th)	19.75(30th)
95/96	7.5	12	17.5	20.375	18.75	6.125	(15th)		
96/97	8.75	12.625	15.125	14.625	20.375	18	(15th)
97/98	7.0625	10	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	9.125		
01/2002	2.625	4.25	6.19	7.563	0		
02/2003	4	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	9.5	11.625	12.875	12.25	(15th)
05/2006	5.625	8.375	9.5	13.25	6.75	0.875	(15th)
06/2007	9.25	11.5	14.375	15.25			

Average	5.57	7.99	10.37	13.01	12.99