Western US snowpack info for 2025

[jimk]

Here's an article of possible interest to Tony C and other snowpack sleuths.

Utah ended up with a near-normal snowpack. Here’s how the rest of the West fared

Utah's snowpack season basically sums up what played out all across the West. Some states won big, while others nearly broke unwanted records.

www.deseret.com

Basically, it says much of the west was a bit below normal, with a few areas slightly above and SW below:

• Oregon: 20.3 inches (122% of median average)
• California: 23.2 inches (105% of median average)
• Idaho: 21.9 inches (104% of median average)
• Nevada: 18.5 inches (94% of median average)
• Washington: 28.1 inches (92% of median average)
• Wyoming: 16.3 inches (91% of median average)
• Montana: 16.1 inches (90% of median average)
• Utah: 14.3 inches (89% of median average)
• Colorado: 13.7 inches (81% of median average)
• Alaska: 11.2 inches (79% of median average)
• New Mexico: 5.8 inches (51% of median average)
• Arizona: 3.3 inches (45% of median average)

 

[EMSC]

Basically, it says much of the west was a bit below normal, with a few areas slightly above and SW below:

Interesting data to some degree, but of course that's SWE data not snowfall. Also it's can be pretty meaningless to reference an entire state. Colorado had roughly normal season in the central mtns, but southern Colo was way below normal for example. The water basin charts are much more useful tools for us skiers.

Water Basin maps

 

[Tony Crocker]

Also it's can be pretty meaningless to reference an entire state.

Yes. The real issue here is that lots of these hydrology SNOTELs are far below ski area elevations. So the Oregon state average of 20.3 inches looks quite irrelevant vs. the pics I post below from Crater Lake.

Here's the water basin chart EMSC and I agree is most appropriate for skiers.

These numbers might be a touch low as first half of April was warmer than usual and some SWE was lost. But overall picture is accurate. The snowiest region relative to average was southern Oregon/far northern California. Therefore California water supply should be in good shape even though LA rainfall was half normal and the SoCal ski season was dismal.

Western Canada was well below average because both January and February were much drier than average. In most of the western US, only January was severely deficient.

We stopped by the Crater Lake Visitor Center on the way to Mt. Bachelor April 21. Here's some evidence of that southern Oregon snowpack.

Liz exits the second floor of the Visitor Center.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Crater Lake

While watching an episode of the series Billions last night, a character made a comment ("my reputation is as clean as the water in Crater Lake!") that reminded me of this claim:

Because there are no inflowing streams, the lake is fed solely by rain and snow. It is the cleanest and clearest large body of water in the world, according to the National Park Service. Crater Lake National Park encompasses the lake. Crater Lake is not a crater but an ancient caldera.​

 

[tseeb]

Your numbers are not the same as CA Dept of Water Resources which splits the Sierra into three regions.

In the SF Bay Area this winter there has been a greater than usual variation in Rainfall between N and S of the Bay.

Santa Rosa, ~50 miles N of SF has received over 41” of rain, 128% of normal
Downtown San Francisco has received 19.62”, 90% of normal (all % to date)
San Jose, about the same distance S has received 9.19”, 72% of normal

Tahoe Area also has big difference this year N to S
Blue Canyon on I80 has over 67”, 119% of normal
South Lake Tahoe 12.93”, 70% of normal
This is all from gg_weather.com/seasonal_rain.htm

 

[Tony Crocker]

The map of watersheds is consistent with the north to south variation vs. average in California precipitation. However any water content numbers late in April look low because of the higher than average melt rate this month.

As on April 12 Palisades Gold Coast snowfall was 94%, Alpine Meadows base 74% (lower, more rain), but Heavenly was 65% and Kirkwood 67%.

Mammoth is at 81% due to two big storms concentrated in central California. One of those was in late November, resulting in Mammoth having far more terrain open in December than anyone at Tahoe.

 

[jimk]

The snowbanks at Crater Lake are very impressive.