Storm boosts snow levels

Punxsutawny Phil seemed credible on Groundhog Day when he claimed we would have six more weeks of winter. Despite USDA Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) reporting a warm and dry month for January, last weekend February gave Sanders County a much-needed boost in snowpack levels.

“Overall, January snowfall was below normal for all areas of the state,” reported Luke Zukiewicz, NRCS water supply specialist, “except the central mountain ranges and southwest river basins. This caused snowpack totals to decline for the second month in a row for all river basins except the Madison, Gallatin and Smith-Judith-Musselshell, which experienced marginal increases.”

On February 1, NRCS reported snowpack ranges 77% to 86% of normal. “January is typically the wettest month in northwest Montana with regards to snowfall,” Zukiewicz said, “but this month’s low snowfall totals caused declines in snowpack in all river basins west of the Divide.”

Zukiewicz is hopeful that February will help bring snowpack levels closer to the normal range, and that seems possible when considering the most recent snowstorm. “You don’t have to look far back in time to find a miracle February 1 to March 1 snowpack recovery,” he commented. “On February 1, 2019, the snowpack looked similar to this year, and after the month our office referred to it as ‘Februburied.’ The snowpack was in much better shape on March 1.”

Throughout the next few weeks, SNOTEL (snow telemetry) sites throughout the state will continue to monitor snowpack levels to determine if February does indeed live up to the task at hand. Zukiewicz is pulling for an abundant snowfall. “Come on, Februburied!” he exclaimed.