Average year (so far) for Snow in Glacier National Park

According to the latest data published by the Flattop Mountain SNOTEL (SNOw TELemetry) station, the amount of snow in Glacier National Park is right at the 40-year average for mid-February. As of February 15th, the SNOTEL is measuring a total of 34.8 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

Snowpack in Glacier finally reaches 41-year average

The SNOTEL (SNOw TELemetry) station on Flattop Mountain is reporting that snowpack in Glacier National Park has finally reached it's long-term average. Up until the beginning of March snowpack has been below average. There is currently 42.5 inches of water-equivalent snow on Flattop Mountain.

The Flattop Mountain SNOTEL station is one of nearly 600 similar stations operated throughout the western United States by the Natural Resources Conservations Service under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These stations measure and record Snow Water Equivalent, which is the weight of snow water equivalent to inches of water.

The Flattop Mountain SNOTEL station is located at approximately 6300 feet in elevation, on a high plateau between the Lewis and Livingston Ranges in Glacier National Park. 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.

Below is a graph comparing snow water equivalent for 2012 versus other significant water years and the 41-year average:





Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com

Scenes from Glacier's 2011 historic winter

As the northern hemisphere approaches another winter season, I thought this would be a good time to take a look back at last year's historic winter in Glacier.

The amount of snow that fell in Glacier during the 2010/2011 season was massive. On average, the Going-to-the-Sun Road usually opens by early June. In 2011, however, it didn't open until July 13th, the latest ever. Road crews estimated that the Big Drift area at Logan Pass had roughly 50-60 feet of snow in early July, a depth normally seen on Memorial Day weekend!

Earlier in the year the park reported that USGS snow surveys measured 106 inches of snow on the ground at the 5,900 foot level near Siyeh Bend on the Going-to-the-Sun Road at the end of April. 166 inches were recorded at the 7,000 foot level.

Here are a few photos from the National Park Service to give you an idea of what the conditions were like in early July as the crews worked to clear the Going-to-the-Sun Road:

Here's the Logan Pass Visitor Center:

And the restrooms at Logan Pass:




Jeff
Hiking in Glacier.com