Area snowpack above normal

With all the snow that has been falling, you might be wondering just how we are stacking up to previous years as far as snowpack is concerned. The U.S. Forest Service has personnel tackling that chore.

Hydrologists from the Cabinet Ranger District recently released data collected last week from three snow telemetry (SNOTEL) stations located at Chicago Ridge (5900' in elevation), Government Saddle (5300') and Rock Creek Meadows (3400'). As expected, snow depth is looking abundant for this year.

In comparison to 2015 and 2017, current snowfall levels are roughly 125 percent of average at most elevations. Western Montana is leading the lower 48 states in snowpack depths, with Colorado and Washington not far behind.

Data collected reflects that Western Montana is leading the western region in terms of water content in the snowpack also. Water content reflects the amount of water contained in the snow should it melt. It is an indicator as to how much water will be present this spring and summer as the snow thaws.

There are many SNOTEL sites located on the Kootenai National Forest. Since 2003, these three stations have been regularly monitored based off their to the Cabinet District office. Baree Lake, on the Libby side of the Cabinet Mountain Range, has a site that has been monitored since 1929.

For more information on SNOTEL locations and data, visit http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snow, or contact the Cabinet Ranger District at (406) 827-3533.