Niwot Ridge LTER Snow Report for Jan 2010
Greetings

This January has been relatively dry at C1. A total of 10.6 inches of new snow fell at C1 in January with about 1.1 inches of SWE. The Niwot road remains mostly snow covered up to C1 and beyond.

El Nino conditions continued during January 2010, 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 April of 2010. This forecast agrees with current conditions; Arizona, New Mexico, and the southern parts of Colorado and Utah have above average SWE and accumulated precipitation.

Hand measurements made at Niwot Ridge C-1 on February 1st 2010, show 6.25 inches of snow water equivalent (SWE) for 79% of the 29 years of average hand measurements, and an average snow depth of 26.0 inches. SNOTEL is reporting 6.8 inches of SWE for 87% of average, and 8.2 inches of total precipitation for 95% of average.

As of January 31st, 2010, the South Platte River Basin is at 81% of average SWE, and 85% of average precipitation. State wide the Upper Rio Grande Basin has the highest percent of average SWE, and the highest percent of average precipitation (110%, 107%). The Yampa and White River Basins have the lowest percent of average SWE, and the Upper Colorado River Basin has the lowest percent of average precipitation (73%, 78%).

Across the West, Arizona and New Mexico have above average SWE and accumulated precipitation. Arizona has the highest percent of average SWE and the highest percent of cumulative precipitation (254%, 130%). Colorado has 86% of average SWE and 89% of average accumulated precipitation. Idaho has the lowest percent of average SWE, and Wyoming has the lowest percent of cumulative precipitation (68%, 76%); however SNOTEL is not reporting statewide SWE for Washington and Oregon.

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	6.25

Average	5.49	7.88	10.36	12.94	13.17