Just wondering if anybody knows a good link for historical snowpack data?

I know this year the snowpack is huge, but I'd like to compare it to other years that I've been to Washington.

For example, what kind of snow year was last year?

Thanks!

Leland

Come on guys, what's the most epic water summer you can remember??

What was your highest water year?

Any info helps.

Thanks!

Leland

That's weird. According to the link below, the Lewis and Cowlitz drainages are at 162%, and the Skykomish/Snoqualmie is at 173%.

ftp://ftp.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/data/snow/update/wa.txt

Is this not as good as it looks? I called the ranger station on the Sky yesterday and they said there is 2 feet in the yard still, and they didn't sound like that was normal.

Maybe it goes over 200% a lot, I don't know. Does it?

Hey it barely even snows at all in the mountains where I live....what do I know?

Leland

I don't think that the total snowpack is all that relevant at this point.

Overall this year was huge up until mid Jan. Then it just came to a halt. Considering last year's pineapple express and other warm events I would say that were probably somewhere around a tad more than last year but it could end up producing more water due to the duration of the total melt cycle.

By this time last year we had already been through a few events that ate substantial snow pack, although the season was a gradual melt a few of the early season kickers ate enough away that this year is looking much better than the last.

There is still plenty of time for a few nasty tropical storms though so cross your fingers and hope that the snow sticks around for a few more months before making the full and hopefully instant transition down to the sea!

Of course last year there were alot of comments about how nice the gradual melt was. You had a nice prep season in the early spring and then a great extended season for the melt. I mean cmon guys how can we complain about those August runs on Tumwater and Sept runs on Thunder!

J

Agreed, pretty much an average year for water content in the snow pack.  We've been colder than normal all winter.  With regards to Wenatchee drainage, it's actually looking a little lower than normal.  Most of the water comes from the northern drainages of Little Wenatchee etc.  Although Nason will be a going this year, and probably Icicle since it is the backside of Stevens.  As for big snow packs, look for the 98-99 snow year.  Notes show doing the Wenatchee in August of 99 and some of the runs like Upper Upper Cispus didn't get really runnable until almost October.

I'm holding out for a nice gradually orderly melt rather than the flash flush that could happen.  It'd be tough to have to run the Cooper in August, but I'd take it.
-N

Not sure on getting FITW with the others as a med low flows trip.  It's a tiny a drainage and just has a different flow time than the others.  A bigger issue for the run will be access.  I'm pretty sure it'll be running but getting in will involve post holing, although I've already checked and my snow shoes fit in the creek boat.  Then it's getting out.  The snow piled up on the bank is deep, so just stepping out of boat and walking out isn't going to happen. 

As for what will happen this summer.  Don't know if it will be high or low or when or for how long, but we should have water.   Provided it isn't like last summer it might even be warm as well.

Mid July is probably a reasonable time frame to target Cooper and the Ohanny for the flows you're looking for.  Not sure what your time frame of when you need to have your plans firmed up are. 
-N

For those of you who have not lived here long it might seem hard to belive that this is basically average year but it is true.  There is however more snow at lower elevations than usual.  This is not reflected in the data above because those stations are relatively high.