Niwot Ridge LTER Snow Report for Dec 2009
Greetings and Happy New Year!

This fall and early winter has brought about average precipitation and snow to Niwot Ridge. At C1, the first measurable snow fell on September 21st, several small storms continued to bring snow through late October, however warm temps kept melting the snow. One storm in late October brought 31 inches of snow with 2.49 inches of SWE at C1. There was one snow storm in the middle of November and small amounts in the first half of December. Cold temperatures at C1 during December have kept much of the snow on the ground.

El Nino conditions strengthened during December 2009, and are expected to continue through spring of 2010. The ENSO Diagnostic Discussion issued by the NOAA Climate Prediction Center/NCEP predicts above average temperatures in the northwestern US and above average precipitation in the southwestern US though March of 2010.

Hand measurements made at Niwot Ridge C-1 on January 4th, 2009 show 5.4 inches of snow water equivalent (SWE) for 98% of the 29 years of average hand measurements, and a snow depth of 23.1 inches. SNOTEL reported 5.8 inches of SWE for 105% of average. The Niwot Ridge road is snow covered above C1, and the East Bowl trees have deep fluffy powder.

As of December 31st 2009, the South Platte River Basin is at 91% of average SWE, and 98% of average precipitation. State wide the Upper Rio Grande Basin has the highest percent of average SWE, and the highest percent of average precipitation (97%, 99%). The Yampa and White River Basins have the lowest percent of average SWE at 77%, and the Upper Colorado River Basin has the lowest percent of average precipitation at 85%.

Across the West, only Arizona and New Mexico have above average SWE. Arizona has the highest percent of average SWE combined with the lowest percent of cumulative precipitation (177%, 72%). Idaho has the lowest percent of average SWE at 61%.

Until next month

Cheers

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	16.75		
07/2008 5.45	7.375	11.0	13.75	14.5
08/2009 3.625	7.25	9.25	10.125	12.75
09/2010 5.375

Average	5.49	7.94	10.36	12.94	13.17