2011 Snowpack vs. Record Breaking + Flood Watch [Archive]

Scott P

05-09-2011, 05:47 AM

For those interested, late April storms pushed the Wasatch snowpack depth to record breaking. For weather watchers, 2011 snowpack will be interesting to track, but flooding is pretty much a sure bet.

Seasonal and monthly snowfall records were not broken at the official weather stations in the Wasatch, but the snow was well above average and peaked very late in the year and several daily snow depth and snowfall records were broken. So far, the maximum snowdepth at Alta Guard Station was an impressive 164 inches on April 29, the latest snow depth of 164 inches ever recorded in a season (the record depth at Alta Guard is 179 inches set on April 7 1958). Snowdepths at "mid-mountain" at the ski resorts have been measured at impressive 200+ inches this season. The highest I saw was 204 inches at Alta, but I didn't check it on a daily basis, so it could have been eclipsed.

Right now with warm weather, snow depth has currently fallen below record depths, but cool temperatures and storms could change that.

Below is a comparison of 2011 snow depth vs the record depth at Alta Guard Station. I could do one for Silver Lake Brighton, but it's hard to track on a daily basis since the database isn't updated daily. Unfortunately, the official weather station a Park City Summit is no longer operating.

http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/721458.jpg

Scott Card

05-09-2011, 10:40 AM

Last week, out of curiosity, I went up Rock Canyon in Provo to check what I thought would be a heavy flowing Rock Canyon Stream. There wasn't a drop. Surprisingly the runoff hadn't even begun. I went back there today to peek to see if there was a flow and sure enough it has finally started. We will see what happens when all the snow starts coming down this week. If it stays fairly cool it should be OK around Utah Valley.

accadacca

05-09-2011, 03:30 PM

It will be cool until Thursday and then it warms to 70-75 through Saturday. :ne_nau:

Scott Card

05-09-2011, 04:36 PM

My curiosity got the best of me so on a break I dashed up Provo Canyon and both the North and South fork creeks look like they are just getting started too. Sand bags out in Sundance and sand bags out in Vivian Park/South Fork cabins. Could get interesting. I just saw 80 degrees forcast this weekend in northern Utah.

Scott P

05-11-2011, 07:58 AM

Dr. Nebz

05-11-2011, 08:33 AM

Yeah, Little Cottonwood Canyon has not even begun to melt off the snow pack above 8,000 ft. And Willow Creek in my backyard is running high already. I anticipate some serious flooding to occur once the snow finally does melt. But it does not even seem to be going anywhere. They got 6" of fresh on Monday up there. I rode most of last week up there, it was spring conditions, but not a full mountain thaw that is for sure. If we jump in temps it is going to be crazy to see how much water those creeks can handle.

middlefork

05-11-2011, 02:40 PM

I saw this posted on another forum and was trying to verify the numbers but keep getting lost on the NOAA site:roll:
I do know the guy has something to do with the snow surveys.

" ya... its just about ready to bust... think about these:
hyrum has about 5,000 acre feet to fill, forecast is for 106,000. smith morehouse has about 5,000 af to fill, forecast is for 220,000. lost creek has about 7,000 af to fill, forecast 39,000. east canyon to fill 9,000 forecast is for 71,000 pineview to fill 45,000 forecast is for 275,000. jordanell and deer creek to fill, 120,000 forecast is for 260,000.
as of yesterday, the bear river had lost 7% of its snowpack, the weber 1%, the provo 9% and the duchesne 16%. normally we would have been in the 50% to 60% snowpack melted state by now. bear lake came up 132,000 acf in april, highest ever. without any mountian snowpack melt. sevier river kingston - second highest april flow since 1915. gonna be fun."

Scott Card

05-11-2011, 02:47 PM

I got an email this morning that a scout for his Eagle Project is calling out volunteers to fill sandbags today for the creek in Maple Canyon (Mapleton). Great and timely project. I wish I could have been there instead of at work. Seems many people are concerned. Hope for a cool few weeks.

Scott P

05-11-2011, 03:18 PM

Hope for a cool few weeks.

That will probably make it worse (flooding wise). If May stays cool and then it heats up in late May/June, it's really going to come down. That's what happened in 1983. It stayed cool until about May 23 and then heated up (temps pushing 90 around Memorial Day weekend). Most creeks usually don't peak until June (late May for some). Cool weather for the next few weeks would actually probably add to the flooding as it will get warmer later regardless and the more that comes down before peak runoff might actually help. If there is still 10 feet of snow on the ground by June, then...

I saw this posted on another forum and was trying to verify the numbers but keep getting lost on the NOAA site

Yeah, that's easy to do.:haha:

Try the SLC home page for NOAA for warnings:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/

And the NOAA Hydrology section:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/river/

It has lots of info, but it can be a pain to wade through.

Maybe also try the SNOTEL sites as they can be easier to navigate and will have information for more locations:

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snotel/Utah/utah.html

They have nice graphs as well and have started putting temperature data in US units.

I like the SNOTEL site since it will graph the current water year vs the average. Unfortunately, for some reason (as mentioned on another thead) the SNOTEL sites aren't official weather stations (at least concerning all time records), but they are very informative and you can compare years side by side.

There is lots of great information to wade through on the SNOTEL site.

Scott Card

05-11-2011, 03:46 PM

That will probably make it worse (flooding wise). If May stays cool and then it heats up in late May/June, it's really going to come down. That's what happened in 1983. It stayed cool until about May 23 and then heated up (temps pushing 90 around Memorial Day weekend). Most creeks usually don't peak until June (late May for some). Cool weather for the next few weeks would actually probably add to the flooding as it will get warmer later regardless and the more that comes down before peak runoff might actually help.

I must be confused. The news is saying if we have a sudden heat up then we are in big trouble. I thought a couple of weeks of moderate/cool weather would help bring it down more gradually. Are we saying something different from each other? If so what is the best possible scenario in you opinion?

powderglut

05-11-2011, 04:23 PM

I have updated the chart.

We have had flooding here (Yampa River) the past few days, but luckily I live on a hill. It's also been snowing and raining here today, but the temps are cooler so the river currently isn't rising.
Hey Scott, I read in the local paper the other day that Buffalo Pass set a state record for water content. There's never been a higher reading since they've recorded this stuff.
Better get ready for the Yampa to be huge this year!

Scott P

05-11-2011, 04:25 PM

The news is saying if we have a sudden heat up then we are in big trouble.

If it heats up now, yes, it can and probably will flood. If it stays cool through most of May and the snow melts slowly (or it snows more) and then a heat wave hits when the creeks are already bank full, it will flood more. Warm (not hot) weather now should be good for the future.

I thought a couple of weeks of moderate/cool weather would help bring it down more gradually.

It will heat up regardless and there is no way that the snow will be melted by the time it happens. If it stays cool and the snowpack doesn't decrease, a heat wave in late May or June will be more disastrous than it would now (especially since temperatures this time of year seldom rise over the lower to mid-80's on the valley floors and are typically much short lived than they are later in the year).

If so what is the best possible scenario in you opinion?

Same as the state hydrologist puts it: The worst case scenarios are cold and wet or hot and wet or dry. The best case scenario is warm and dry to gradually melt the snowpack and limit more precipitation.

http://www.abc4.com/content/news/flooding/story/NWS-Hydrologists-says-flooding-threats-remain/-4tJxVJaVkOGtQq9uKpJAw.cspx

Worst would be for it to stay cool and snowy through May and then have a 100 degree heat wave (80's in the mountains) with 10+ feet of snow on the ground, but even 1983 didn't do that.

Hey Scott, I read in the local paper the other day that Buffalo Pass set a state record for water content. Better get ready for the Yampa to be huge this year!

Wanna go rafting?:mrgreen: Unlike many rivers, the Yampa is mostly free flowing and doesn't have a big dam controlling it.

Of course, many people in NW Colorado were praying for water. I assume the same is true in Utah. At least the states aren't going to be arguing about water this year.
:mrgreen:

Scott P

05-13-2011, 07:09 AM

The above chart is updated.

I'll try to put some charts together for more locations sometime in the near future and post them above. Maybe I'll try and put together some charts for stations in NE Colorado and SE Wyoming.

Baggs Wyoming is probably going to flood this weekend.

Temps are supposed to be in the 50's at 10,000 feet here. The same is true for the Wasatch.

accadacca

05-13-2011, 08:17 PM

It is heating up fast. It was near 80 in SLC today.

savanna3313

05-14-2011, 10:17 AM

The weird part about down here in Louisiana is that we are actually in a drought in regards to rain, yet we are opening a second spillway today to relieve the overflowing Mississippi River which hasn't been done since 1973. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_mississippi_river_flooding I don't know how much more La can take! Hopefully Utah won't experience anything major in regards to flooding. My home there is close to a couple of seasonal streams.

Scott P

05-17-2011, 08:37 PM

A new daily snow depth record was set today (May 17) at the Alta Guard Station, beating out 1983 by an inch (see chart above). It's supposed to snow the rest of the week in both the Wasatch and NW Colorado as well.

Sorry I haven't got around to making some charts for other locations; I've been working late hours.

canyonphile

05-18-2011, 11:02 AM

We were just talking about this the other day [the '83 snowmelts that flooded SLC]. Insane, this all is! And we didn't get record snowpacks up in the San Juans, but the same principles are applying as far as the melt and the negative impact it will for trout in the Animas if it melts too quickly and too soon.

Savanna - it sounds like it could be a really bad scene in the floodplain areas of LA; I heard them discussing the situation on NPR a couple of days ago, and it sounds like the parishes around New Orleans could be in serious trouble as a result of the floodwaters they are trying to divert from New Orleans. Scary stuff if you live there :eek2:. I feel sorry for anyone that has to evacuate and possibly lose their house from this.

And, I'll keep my fingers crossed that the impact is minimal and that the warming trend is steady throughout UT/CO so there aren't any of those massive melts in late May or June that would cause rivers to flood and cause damage. One can always hope for the best, right :ne_nau:?

Scott P

05-18-2011, 06:57 PM

Right now the snowpack is increasing. Visually the snow level seems to be about 7000 feet this morning around here. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 34F here with a 90% chance of rain, so we should be right at the snow level. Snow is fairly common in May here, but it sure has been wet. In 1983 SLC recieved 5.0" of snow on May 11 at the airport, but some of the benches got a foot. Hopefully there will be no more storms like that this year as the snowpack is very deep.

The mountains in this region are getting hit hard with snow as are the Wasatch. Check out these weather forecast for the mountains:

http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/716781.bmp (http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/716781.bmp)

http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/716782.bmp (http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/716782.bmp)

There are winter storm warnings out for the mountains.

Flooding wise, this is a bad case senerio and it's getting worse as time goes on.

Dr. Nebz

05-18-2011, 08:37 PM

Yeah, things are getting worse for sure. Plus with all the lower elevation rain saturating the ground, the water table is rising. So the ground will not help the melt when it does finally start melting, so it will cause the waterways to run even harder. I expect that catastrophic flooding is going to occur. I backpacked Escalante this past weekend, and not kidding the Paria River was in places above knee deep. This compared to 2007 when I hiked the same area, I could walk through all the water with my hiking boots on, never deep enough to go over the top of my boots. I was in my Keens all the way to and from the car hiking the Paria section Sat and Sun.

I would like to see the data concerning the Nuclear Melt down in Japan and the atmospheric change from the release of the radiation. From the information I have seen in radiation counts hitting the jet stream, I wonder if there is a correlation to that melt down and it accelerating the La Nina cycle. All I know is shortly after the Tsunami, and the radiation leak, Little Cottonwood Canyon got pounded non-stop, and it is still nuking up there. They have gotten 20" in the last 48 hours up there, and it is still winter temps up there. It is May 18th, and we still have a 180" base up there. Gnarly! Bonus for me, I'll be getting lift accessed pow turns Friday morning that is for sure. :snowboard1:

Scott P

05-19-2011, 05:31 AM

There's snow on my lawn this morning though it's just a nasty, crusty and thin layer kind of snow. It's a sure bet that the mountains got pounded last night.

accadacca

05-19-2011, 06:11 AM

Is June skiing common? Seems extreme to me. When does the bird normally close and what is the record?

Dr. Nebz

05-19-2011, 07:27 AM

Is June skiing common? Seems extreme to me. When does the bird normally close and what is the record?

As far as I know, July 4th is the latest day they have ran lift operated riding at Snowbird. The latest lifts I have ridden at Snowbird was June 22nd 07/08 season. Last season I rode lifts till June 13th. We are currently sitting on 739" which is currently the record for Snowbird. I imagine it will be weekends only up there until the 4th of July. We would need a serious heat wave to melt all of that snow sooner than that, and at the rate we are going, not gonna happen any time soon.

canyonphile

05-19-2011, 10:32 AM

There's snow on my lawn this morning though it's just a nasty, crusty and thin layer kind of snow. It's a sure bet that the mountains got pounded last night.

There was a little bit here in town this morning, and the nearby hills and lower mountains (Perins Peak, Smelter Mtn.) got more than a dusting of snow.

Saw a picture earlier today of Rocky Mtn Nat. Park with 23' of snow still on the ground. At least in that area, the drainage is to the Colorado, which I suspect can shoulder a much greater melt load than some of these other rivers, and I imagine the effect on the water levels in Lake Powell will be profound. Boaters, if no one else, will be happy about that.

It's pounding rain and sleet right now in town :roll:, and I'm sure the mountains must be getting hammered with snow.

moab mark

05-19-2011, 01:08 PM

Just got an email from SL Sheriff that LLC is closed from 1 to 3 for avalanche work.

Scott P

05-19-2011, 07:45 PM

Is June skiing common?

It is as Snowbird, or at least used to be (weekends only).

As far as I know, July 4th is the latest day they have ran lift operated riding at Snowbird.

Do you know the years by chance? It would be some interesting info to know how many times it has happened. Almost surely this year as well.

I do know the earliest opening for a ski resort in Utah (October 1 1986 at Powder Mt.).

The latest lifts I have ridden at Snowbird was June 22nd 07/08 season. Last season I rode lifts till June 13th. We are currently sitting on 739" which is currently the record for Snowbird. I imagine it will be weekends only up there until the 4th of July.

Some years in the early to mid 90's, they used to close during May for a while then open up skiing Memorial weekend for weekends only until July 4 or until the snow ran out. In the 1980's, it seems that they used to let you take skis on the tram regardless of the time of year and skiing on July 4th was a tradition for some people (our next door neighbors use to do it), regardless if the snow reached the bottom of the hill or not (some years it did and some it didn't). I'm guessing that they don't let people do that anymore? I would be kind of surprised if they did.

In 1993 you could ski year round outside the resorts. Even by September there was still plenty of snow around. There were even some snowbanks in the Wasatch that survived below 7000 feet the entire year in a few isolated locations(!). Despite the snow, 1993 never did have much flooding though since it never did warm up quickly. It was the coldest summer on record, so it just was slow to melt. The next year, 1994 was so horribly dry and hot though that it not only melted the previous year's snow, but it even melted all the snow on the surface of the Timp Glacier for (apparently?) the first time in recorded history (it also happened in 2002 and 2003). 1992 was also a dry year, so wet years can be sandwhiched between dry ones (or vice versa).

We would need a serious heat wave to melt all of that snow sooner than that, and at the rate we are going, not gonna happen any time soon.

Some long term forecast are predicting a hot spell at the end of May (near 90 for SLC and low 80's here). If it does happen that way, it going to really flood (thinking of river running Memorial weekend). Even if it does melt some of the snow, there will still be plenty of snow around through July in some locations.

accadacca

05-19-2011, 07:50 PM

It is STILL raining too. I heard that a bunch of the reservoirs are already full or nearly. Any truth to that? My Mom was at Bear Lake and said there isn't much beach left on our property. It has been diminishing for several years, but this year the lake might just fill up again or get very close? Crazy times!! :crazycobasa:

moab mark

05-19-2011, 08:07 PM

accadacca

05-19-2011, 08:11 PM

Hopefully we can sync up for a ride this year Mark. My new Katoom is much more worthy on that single track or at least faster. :bandit:

Dr. Nebz

05-19-2011, 08:12 PM

If it does hit 90 degrees end of May like Scott P saw in a long term prediction, it is gonna flood like you have never seen. :crazy:

moab mark

05-19-2011, 08:29 PM

Hopefully we can sync up for a ride this year Mark. My new Katoom is much more worthy on that single track or at least faster. :bandit:

Right after I posted my last entry my Dad called and said that he just go back up to the lake and it had moved up the beach 30' since last Saturday. The Bear River must be motoring.
Probably going to head up over Memorial Day but I doubt there will be much single track that won't still need my sled.

BruteForce

05-20-2011, 04:20 AM

We normally camp in the mountains just North and West of Richfield every mid-May. This year, we're finding there's still 49 inches of snow on the ground (where in years past, there's been almost none). 14 new inches of snow yesterday alone! :roll:

Scott P

05-20-2011, 05:30 AM

If it does hit 90 degrees end of May like Scott P saw in a long term prediction, it is gonna flood like you have never seen.

Of course long term forecast change (sometimes daily) and aren't as accurate as the short term ones, but check this one out as of this morning:

http://www.accuweather.com/us/ut/salt-lake-city/84101/forecast-month.asp

http://www.accuweather.com/us/co/craig/81625/forecast-month.asp

oldno7

05-20-2011, 06:51 AM

Interesting graph

http://snowpack.water-data.com/uppercolorado/index.php

accadacca

05-21-2011, 08:25 AM

Jordan River. Not passing here today...

44583

Scott P

05-21-2011, 07:39 PM

Alta set a new daily snowdepth record for May 20 (see chart at beginning of thread). Today was probably a record as well and I'll update the results as soon as the data becomes available.

Dr. Nebz

05-21-2011, 08:07 PM

I rode the Bird today, and was getting fluffy turns from the peak down to about 8,000 ft from this last storm before the snow was temperature affected. It was getting really warm in Mineral Basin, I imagine that with the warm up expected later this week, that snow will start to melt.

Scott P

05-24-2011, 05:53 AM

A new daily record snow depth was set at Alta for May 22 (beating out 1983 by 2"), but the database is being slow to be updated (it looks like the data collector missed May 21).

The heat wave that used to be predicted for next week has disappeared off the forecast, but that's not that surprising.

rmoat

05-25-2011, 04:07 PM

I live close to the Provo River near the Provo River Trail and there is a section where the trail travels under two roads (University Pkwy) and is separated from the river by a cement wall (probably around 3 to 4 feet high). As of last night, the river is less than 6 inches from spilling over the top and flooding that entire section of the Provo River trail. I saw that Provo city already has blockades with signs on them saying "Closed due to high water" set aside of the trail. Pretty soon, I imagine it will be flooded. Further down the trail there is already a section where it goes underneath a bridge where it has already flooded.
I took a drive down near Utah Lake where the river enters the lake, and most of the fields around are now ponds. There is also one section of the trail that travels right next to the lake, where a small stream feeds into Utah Lake, or perhaps it was just a trench/canal which is fed from Utah Lake for irrigation (not sure which), and Provo City has already filled it in with dirt and sand bagged it. They have also parked a tractor connected to a pump that is in the canal, and it looks like they've occasionally been running the tractor to pump the water back into Utah lake.
Haven't ever seen the water this high, especially since some of the Provo River Trail already has been or will be underneath the water.

accadacca

05-25-2011, 04:26 PM

These videos were taken on the 17th. :popcorn:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtZdaFSPeb0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LML1q6fNfag&feature=related

rmoat

05-25-2011, 04:38 PM

Wow! Quite a bit of water. That Jordan River picture you posted above, is that up in the Lehi/Thanksgiving Point area?

Scott Card

05-25-2011, 04:42 PM

The water table is so high that some big homes in the riverbottoms in Provo have flooded basements. The Provo River is certainly high but the water from all the rain is also adding to the problems in the low lands.

Dr. Nebz

05-25-2011, 05:32 PM

I was up Bells Canyon hiking today, and the water is seeping from every rock. Even way far away from the main flow in the canyon. It is amazing how full the res is, and the snow above 8500' still has not melted off. We for sure have some water. :wtf:

REDFOX

05-25-2011, 08:19 PM

I have had several calls for ground water and the need for a sump pump in several neighborhoods in SLC lately. I am sure that other Plumbers are busy with these calls as well.

jman

05-26-2011, 12:49 PM

KSL: Snowbird: Skiing on Fourth of July? (http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=15707408)

Exercept:

ALT LAKE CITY -- This July 4, adventurous Utahns may be able to celebrate not only with fire, but also some ice.

Snowbird, a ski resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon, has announced its intentions to stay open until Independence Day this year, and if the weather cooperates with those ambitions plans, it would make 2010-11 the longest season in Snowbird history, with 202 days of skiing.

"We are asking ‘Is it possible to get too much of a good thing'? Because that might have been the case this year." -- Jessica Kunzer
Though it may sound outrageous, Snowbird has made it to this date twice before, in 1995 and 2005, and a trio of July 4 closings isn't out of the question.

"Considering the snow pack we have right now, we have a really good chance of making it that far," said Emily Moench, communications manager for Snowbird. "I would be surprised if we didn't."

A combination of factors has made this season a boon for many resorts in Utah including good weather and a relative upswing economically in the last year.

Also affecting matters is who owns the land. Some resorts, like Snowbasin in Weber County, are on U.S. Forest Service lands, and may have restrictions in place on how long they stay open. Others base the date on demand and a "willingness to cater to the enthusiastic skiers and riders who want to continue into the summer," according to Moench.

Snowbird: Dec 2010

Alta Ski Area stayed open through May 2, a record for the resort, and though Eagle Point's lifts are no longer running, it is still possible for back country skiers willing to take a hike to get in a run or two.

So according to KSL's research, it has happened twice (reaching July 4) - in 1995 and 2005. Interesting.

Dr. Nebz

05-26-2011, 02:48 PM

Yeah, I plan on getting 4th of July turns. I was up there last Sat the 21st, and the snow was still in great condition for May. Check the Captains Log in the Ski/Snowboard section on here. I put up a video of that day riding. I hate traveling on holiday weekends, just a junkshow everywhere. I might as well get some hiking and snowboarding in that weekend. For sure got my money's worth out of my pass this year. 90 days and counting. Crazy, and beautiful at the same time. Love it!:2thumbs:

Scott P

05-26-2011, 07:43 PM

So far, it's the 4th wettest May in SLC:

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/FXC/wxstory2.php?wfo=slc&img=2

I also updated the chart for Alta.

In NW Colorado, the Yampa River is flooding in places. I'll post photos Thursday.

Unfortunately, my partners dropped out of river running this weekend, so I won't be able to go (and what a great time for river running it would have been). We'll go hiking instead.

powderglut

05-27-2011, 04:39 AM

Not to get off the subject, Scott. But I just got the new issue of Steamboat Magazine, and there was an excellent 4 page article on you. Very nice!!:2thumbs:
Boy oh boy!! When we finally get out of this weather pattern and start to get some consistent warm, the rivers are gonna be screamin. My friend was on Mt Werner on Sunday, and said the summit stake was 167". Buff Pass had the Colorado state record for water content a few weeks ago. You will be seeing a lot of water soon. Get the ark ready!

Scott Card

05-27-2011, 10:41 AM

The Provo, Dirty Devil, and Virgin rivers are all over 400% of normal snow pack..... 400% of normal. Are you kidding? Next week may begin to tell the tale with 80's in the forcast but only after more rain in the valleys and snow in the mountains at the first of the week.

accadacca

05-28-2011, 08:54 PM

It's been raining cats and dogs in the Jordan of South for over an hour.

http://i961.photobucket.com/albums/ae91/accadacca1/b3981934.png

bbennett

05-28-2011, 09:08 PM

I think Mother Nature's trying to tell us something...

44749

jman

05-30-2011, 10:16 AM

This morning in Kaysville (we live right below Highway 89 and 200 N) 3 of my neighbors had flooding in their basement due to the snow and rain.

Last time it flooded here was back in 01. I'm sure others across the Northern State is running into flooding....

DOSS

05-30-2011, 10:27 AM

It's been raining cats and dogs in the Jordan of South for over an hour.

How do you know that it has been raining cats and dogs?... because you get out of your car and step into a poodle :crazy:

Dr. Nebz

05-30-2011, 12:45 PM

Just got home from Day 91 snowboarding. I think summer is skipping Little Cottonwood Canyon this year. About a foot of fresh pow overnight for Memorial Day. I believe it when they say this is now considered a 150 year event. I never have had that deep of turns this late in May at Snowbird. 776" for the season. We may need to build an ark with all this water. :crazy:

Scott P

05-30-2011, 09:48 PM

It's been snowing hard in the mountains around here and I'm sure in Northern Utah as well.

Wednesday is forecasted to be 81F here (6300 feet) and SLC:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Craig&state=CO&site=GJT&textField1=40.52&textField2=-107.55&e=1

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salt+Lake+City&state=UT&site=SLC&textField1=40.7608&textField2=-111.89&e=0

There may be flooding, but when it hits 90, we'd really better watch out.

I updated the chart. The official weather station at Alta shattered the 1983 snowdepth record today by 26".

The record snow depth to date for June at the official weather station is 111" (June 1, 1983). Today it is 139", so a monthy record will almost surely be set there (at the official station) as well. As mention too bad the measurements higher on the ski slopes aren't considered to be official weather stations, or some really impressive record depths for this time if year could be shown.

Scott P

05-31-2011, 09:17 PM

Unless 25" of snow melts tonight, Alta Guard Station will set an all time June snowdepth record. This has been a weird year. Maximum snow depths really weren't that impressive until mid and late spring, but the snowpack just isn't melting. I have added the monthly records to the chart. Of course, tomorrow will shatter the June record, but check out the snow depths now as compared to the maximum in January (see below post):

rmoat

06-01-2011, 04:32 PM

It's going to be pretty interesting to see what happens when it really warms up. According to the CUWCD (Central Utah Water Conservancy District) reservoir map, it's interesting to see how everything is connected, and how each are affected by each other. (I would post the link to the reservoir map, but the forum will not let me post links, images, or videos until I post more).

The Upperstill Water Reservoir has the big pipe going through the mountain (Duchesne Tunnel), which releases water into the upper Provo river.

Because of the amount of water in the Wasatch Front already, apparently the CUWCD has prohibited water, if any at all, from being sent through the mountain. So besides preparing for flooding out here, other various places, such as Duchesne is preparing for the Duchesne River to flood over its banks. The Strawberry river is already incredibly high, though I think it has been seen as being a foot from reaching the bridges before. This year may prove to be different.

In Millard County, irrigation ditches are extremely high. From what I have heard over the Memorial Day weekend, a road near Fillmore had flooded, and a car traveling down the road hit the water and wrecked. Not sure if it flipped the car. On Memorial Day, the mountains in the morning in Millard Country were all covered with a light blanket of snow.

What a summer, if you can call it that.

As for the Provo, it has dropped a bit, but when it warms up more, I'm sure it will be back up to flooding more parts of the trail.

Scott P

06-02-2011, 08:46 AM

Just as expected, the official station at Alta set a new June record for snow depth with an impressive 128". Of course, the higher mountains have even more.

http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/719645.jpg

Scott Card

06-02-2011, 08:59 AM

Provo River is over 500%.... :eek2:

Scott P

06-02-2011, 09:03 PM

The Yampa River is beginning to flood a little, but nothing serious yet. Here is a photo I took just east of town:

http://www.summitpost.org/images/medium/719790.JPG (http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/719790.JPG)

uintahiker

06-07-2011, 07:47 AM

Looks like KSL is saying today is the high-water day. I'm inclined not to believe it- especially if it gets hot quick.:popcorn:

accadacca

06-09-2011, 12:03 PM

The rivers are getting high and fast. Be careful out there! :eek2:

Scott P

06-09-2011, 06:57 PM

Photos I took of the Yampa River and Elk River flooding:

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/260203_167855266611604_100001613961660_415890_8750 21_n.jpg

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/260203_167855269944937_100001613961660_415891_1065 566_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/260203_167855273278270_100001613961660_415892_5464 963_n.jpg

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/260203_167855276611603_100001613961660_415893_1349 72_n.jpg

The Elk River broke it's CFS record, but the Yampa River is a long way from record, even though it's flooding.

So far there has been flooding and a few records, but so far it's not as widespread as in 1983. There is still plenty of snow in the mountains (Snowbird currently reports 159" @ 9840 feet and Buffalo Pass [NW Colorado] reports 147" @10,500 feet ), so no one is out of the woods yet and it is certainly possible that several of the rivers haven't peaked yet.

I also updated the spreadsheet for Alta:

http://www.summitpost.org/images/original/721458.jpg