Recent precipitation improves snowpack conditions, more snow needed
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Montana SNOTEL site
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News from USDA
BOZEMAN — Above normal precipitation during February resulted in an increase in basin wide snowpack percentages for all Montana and northern Wyoming river basins. Last month percentages were generally 40-60% of normal, while as of March 1 most percentages are about 65-75% of normal. The largest increase occurred in the Upper Clark Fork and Upper Missouri River basins which improved from about 40% to 70% of normal snowpack conditions.
Recent improvements in the snowpack conditions were timely, but widespread deficits remain. While not as many NRCS snow stations are reporting their lowest snowpack on record compared to last month, 200 of about 255 stations still have a snowpack in the 25th percentile or less for their period of record. The largest deficits are at the highest mountain elevations across the state, where the snowpack on March 1 is 10-12” of snow water equivalent below normal. Examples include Poorman Creek SNOTEL (5100 ft - Cabinet Range), Upper Holland Lake SC (6200 ft - Swan Range), Twin Lakes SNOTEL (6400 ft – Bitterroot Range), Fisher Creek SNOTEL (9100 ft – Beartooth Range), and NF Jocko SNOTEL (6330 – Mission Range). Recent precipitation has only begun to make a dent in the upper elevation snowpack deficit, but lower mountain elevation conditions are starting to look better.
One to two months remain in the normal snowpack accumulation season. Upper elevations across Montana typically don’t peak until early May but have peaked as late as June (2022, 2018, 2011). The snowpack at the highest elevation is only about 50-60% of normal peak seasonal levels, which in other words means they need to accumulate 18-20” of snow water equivalent to reach normal by May 1. The lowest elevation snow stations are still at least 2” below normal peak snow water equivalent levels. Active weather needs to continue for a couple more months to make up for lack of snow earlier this winter.
