Snow depth: 252"

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adamschneider
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Snow depth: 252"

Post by adamschneider » February 22nd, 2017, 11:14 pm

Out of curiosity, I wanted to find the weather station/SNOTEL site that currently has the deepest snowpack.

Resources:
- NOAA National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center
- NRCS National Water & Climate Center
- California DWR

So far the best I've come up with is Leavitt Lake, at 9600' a few miles south of Sonora Pass in the Sierra Nevada: 252 inches, or 21 feet! :shock:

Image
Last edited by adamschneider on February 23rd, 2017, 2:24 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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retired jerry
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Re: Snow depth: 252"

Post by retired jerry » February 23rd, 2017, 6:06 am

wow!, that would bury my house, will take a while to melt off, probably a late hiking season this year

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drm
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Re: Snow depth: 252"

Post by drm » February 23rd, 2017, 8:02 am

PCT hikers, take notice. Maybe it's a good year to start at the Canadian border?

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adamschneider
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Re: Snow depth: 252"

Post by adamschneider » February 23rd, 2017, 11:05 am

I gathered some more data from that same sensor:

Image

(I tossed in 2005 because until now, it was the deepest year since 2004.)

In the lowest years, this site was melted out by the first week of June. In 2005 and 2011, it wasn't clear until the beginning of August. This year, who knows: mid-August?

I was thinking of climbing Mt. Whitney this summer. Maybe I ought to wait on that....
Last edited by adamschneider on February 23rd, 2017, 2:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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adamschneider
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Re: Snow depth: 252"

Post by adamschneider » February 23rd, 2017, 11:33 am

More data, from NRCS/NWCC:

Image

Note that in the mountains of Washington, it's been a perfectly average year. In Oregon, a LITTLE above average, but nothing to write home about. It's only California that's getting slammed.

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