Snowpack Level in Glacier Still At Long Term Average

According to the latest data published by the Flattop Mountain SNOTEL (SNOw TELemetry) station, the amount of snow in Glacier National Park continues to track with the 40-year average for early March. As of March 6th, the SNOTEL is measuring a total of 41.6 inches of Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), which is the weight of snow water equivalent to inches of water.

The Flattop Mountain SNOTEL station is located at an elevation of approximately 6300 feet on Flattop Mountain, which is a high plateau between the Lewis and Livingston Ranges in Glacier National Park. According to the website, "Flattop Mountain is a useful indicator of snowfall throughout Glacier National Park because it is subject to the factors that influence conditions elsewhere in the park".

Data from the Flattop Mountain SNOTEL is compiled by water year, which runs from October 1st through September 30th.

The following is a graph that compares SWE for 2013 versus the average and other significant water years (you can click here for a larger version):

Jeff
Hiking in Glacier National Park