2016 Utah Snowpack [Archive] - Bogley Outdoor Community

tallsteve

02-29-2016, 08:38 AM

The x-country skiing this season has been the best ever. Now conditions suck. I'd have to go back through Strava and figure out my stats but, I'd guess I did about 300 miles in the last 2 and a half months. Now, there's bare, dry ridable dirt in Corner Canyon and Lambert Park to mtn. bike on so, not complaining.

accadacca

02-29-2016, 03:51 PM

I'm happy to have it all come in a couple months time and now bring on spring! :2thumbs:

rockgremlin

03-03-2016, 08:03 AM

Brian in SLC

03-03-2016, 01:42 PM

Despite Utah's snowpack averaging over 100% at the end of February, the climatologists and KSL paint Utah's situation in a dire and gloomy light:

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=38734987&nid=148&title=hopes-for-great-water-year-quickly-melting

I think from a water usage standpoint...reason to be gloomy. Most of the population benefits from the northern Utah mountains and their snowpack. Went from 110% and one of the better January's, to, a dismal February in the low 90's. Huge difference in the snowpack in the Wasatch.

We still have snow...but...we best get some more. I skied last night...coverage is starting to get interesting. Hoping for a shot with this next system approaching.

Brian in SLC

03-03-2016, 01:44 PM

Interesting weather stuff...especially if you pay attention to the snowpack:

http://wasatchweatherweenies.blogspot.com/

River

03-03-2016, 04:58 PM

Oops, delete

tanya

03-05-2016, 03:53 PM

Southern Utah is not looking good this year.

2065toyota

03-06-2016, 07:50 AM

Southern Utah is not looking good this year.

We have been snowmobiling the last 2 weekends. There is still at least 5' of snow on cedar mtn and it is snowing again today. My uncles cabin at kolob also has 5' of snow at it still. I would have to not agree with it not looking good

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jman

03-06-2016, 12:16 PM

We have been snowmobiling the last 2 weekends. There is still at least 5' of snow on cedar mtn and it is snowing again today. My uncles cabin at kolob also has 5' of snow at it still. I would have to not agree with it not looking good

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Do you know how upper-elevation Zion is looking? Like, wildcat trailhead still have snow? Or east Mesa trail by chance?

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2065toyota

03-07-2016, 02:25 PM

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/webmap/index.html#elements=&networks=!&states=!&counties=!&hucs=&minElevation=&maxElevation=&elementSelectType=all&activeOnly=true&hucLabels=false&stationLabels=&overlays=&hucOverlays=&mode=data&openSections=parameter,date,elements,location,netw orks&controlsOpen=true&popup=561:UT:SNTL&base=esriNgwm&lat=38.404&lon=-111.852&zoom=8&dataElement=SNWD&parameter=OBS&frequency=DAILY&duration=I&customDuration=&dayPart=E&year=2015&month=11&day=24&monthPart=E

There is weather station near Kolob Resevoir. It is currently reading a snowpack of 55 inches. I havn't been to the East side of Zion for a while so I'm not sure.

The link is an awesome source we use to measure and find good riding areas as many storms are very localized. Once a station is selected, I generally use the 7 day table to check the change in snow depth as it is measured every hour

Iceaxe

03-07-2016, 03:29 PM

As of today (3-7-16) Southwestern Utah's snowpack is at 101% and southeastern Utah's snowpack is at 122%.

It's pretty hard for southern Utah to bitch about those numbers if they hold.

2065toyota

03-08-2016, 06:45 AM

As of today (3-7-16) Southwestern Utah's snowpack is at 101% and southeastern Utah's snowpack is at 122%.

It's pretty hard for southern Utah to bitch about those numbers if they hold.

Based on the amount of time we spend on the mountain snowmobiling, camping, etc. My opinion is that we have the most snow that we've had in the last 7 years. I've definitely seen a lot more here, but far from drastic conditions.

jman

03-08-2016, 10:16 AM

Based on the amount of time we spend on the mountain snowmobiling, camping, etc. My opinion is that we have the most snow that we've had in the last 7 years. I've definitely seen a lot more here, but far from drastic conditions.

Yea exactly!

Wait...is St. George in a desert??? I thought it is very, VERY, similar to the Oregon coastline, where it rains everyday. :crazy:

And this whole water management issue is a huge mess. Pulling water out of other parts of the desert (Great Basin NP) to feed Vegas. Incredible growth in the desert where there isn't water available. Watering lawns like there is no tomorrow. Everyone NEEDs to have a pool that they use 10x a year... But hey, that's for another fun thread!!

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Iceaxe

03-08-2016, 11:11 AM

80% of all water use in the US goes to agriculture. In the western states that number jumps to 90%. So bottomline your swimming pool or extra long shower doesn't really make any difference.

tanya

03-08-2016, 11:42 AM

March 2016 seems to be holding strong, but we often get one more snow storm and it melts off within hours and then we have to hold our own, while north gets a lot more snow, rain and so forth. I predict it will be a fairly decent year in Southern Utah if the figures keep dropping as I see on this page because that means precipitation is slowly absorbing instead of drying out immediately this year, as it has in the past, and in addition, I don't think a dry year will affect much this year because the Colorado River is doing well, and without its influence the west would have dried up long ago. Also, there is a factor of flash flooding, storm release and overall satisfaction of thunderstorms during the best of the canyoneering here, that while annoying bring a lot of needed weather to our inherent desert of the southwest Utah, Arizona and northern Nevada section of the U.S.

jman

03-08-2016, 12:12 PM

80% of all water use in the US goes to agriculture. In the western states that number jumps to 90%. So bottomline your swimming pool or extra long shower doesn't really make any difference.

Not a lot of agriculture in St. George going on though...

And sure I agree to a point.

But hey, multiply 2 extra gallons a day by 80,000 residents in St. George and Washington City - 160,000 gallons just by one extra minute in the shower.

40,000 gallons is typical for a pool. That's 4 pools just for 1min extra in the shower.

Not a ton, but....stating the obvious....it is a desert. And I don't see 4 swimming pools of water just sitting around every day in St. George.

I have to admit though, I am an idealist where everyone doesn't ignore reality and makes changes where they can. :bootyshake:

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tanya

03-08-2016, 08:28 PM

Add 100 gallons to every sink of dishes for Washington County, Iron County and Kane and you have as much water as SLC uses in a week per capita, per person, per resident, per hour. I digress that water is scarce in Utah, but add that it is so scarce that I know my lawn will die this years because it costs more to water it that to reandscape my yard. In addition, if water were not so expensive here, southern Utah would have more opportune times in order to add to their budget because while wages are low, and salaries are too, air is clean, the soil is pure and life is simple - and that's why I like it here. Too many and this place would implode, but because water is so expensive and scarce, it's an ideal place to be if one can afford water. That's why I have a golf course instead of cows.

tanya

03-08-2016, 08:33 PM

I should add that water down the drain, other than sewer and landscape is not waste, but it is expensive, because tap water is simply reinvented per capita, per person, per luxury of expense and within that luxury is a multitude of ways water can be used other than drinking, bathing, sewage and pool, and that includes washing, washing, washing and more washing, because we are washing fools, and we are washing away the good bacteria that keeps us safe, and so stop washing so darn much and live more healthy.

Water usage should be thus in each southern Utah home

1% bathing
2% sewage
6% luxury of washing and cooking
10% washing hands, teeth.
5% washing dishes.
0% waste

Do you agree Jman?

Iceaxe

03-30-2016, 09:25 PM

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/gis/images/ut_swepctnormal_update.png

jman

03-30-2016, 09:31 PM

http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/gis/images/ut_swepctnormal_update.png

Beat me to it. I was gonna wait until tomorrow.

Those latest storms definitely helped. A little more normalcy around hear this spring.

accadacca

04-27-2016, 06:00 AM

Current conditions at Snowbird. Enough said...

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160427/bfff00d70c07c4ae0417e43b5f3e99f7.jpg

jman

04-27-2016, 07:08 AM

Current conditions at Snowbird. Enough said...

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160427/bfff00d70c07c4ae0417e43b5f3e99f7.jpg

Where is the sign located at? base? Mid-mountain?

Scott P

04-27-2016, 07:10 AM

Current conditions at Snowbird. Enough said...

It's still way below normal (Shane's posted link updates).

jman

04-27-2016, 10:33 AM

Here is the text from the latest storms for the areas (http://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reports/UpdateReport.html?textReport=Utah&textRptKey=11&textFormat=SNOTEL+Snow%2FPrecipitation+Update+Repo rt&StateList=11&RegionList=Select+a+Region+or+Basin&SpecialList=Select+a+Special+Report&MonthList=April&DayList=27&YearList=2016&FormatList=N0&OutputFormatList=HTML&textMonth=April&textDay=27&CompYearList=select+a+year:)

Raft River - 140% / 124%
Bear River - 83% / 99%
Weber-Ogden Rivers - 63% / 91%
Provo-Utah-Jordan - 42% / 87%
Tooele-Vernon - 73% / 95%
Deep Creeks - N.A. / N.A.
NE Uintahs - 126% / 112%
Duchesne - 74% / 87%
Price-San Rafael - 54% / 88%
Dirty Devil - 11% / 92%
SE Utah - 48% / 112%
Upper Sevier River - 79% / 102%
San Pitch - 72% / 92%
Lower Sevier River - 82% / 118%
Beaver River - 83% / 97%
Escalante River - 25% / 96%
SW Utah - 93% / 101%
The Snow-water Equivalent is the 1st percentage. The second is the Water Year-to-Date Precipitation.

So while the snowpack is lower than normal, especially for central Utah(!!), the water "year-to-date" isn't looking dire............yet.....

accadacca

05-08-2016, 11:22 AM

I wonder what it will look like after the last few weeks. Crazy wet start to the spring.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160508/61a49cef5e837934b61ab9aee9070d29.jpg

Iceaxe

05-08-2016, 02:40 PM

Our water state wide is at 97% of average. Here is the water report as of May 8th

http://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reports/UpdateReport.html?textReport=Utah&textRptKey=11&textFormat=SNOTEL+Snow%2FPrecipitation+Update+Repo rt&StateList=11&RegionList=Select+a+Region+or+Basin&SpecialList=Select+a+Special+Report&MonthList=May&DayList=8&YearList=2016&FormatList=N0&OutputFormatList=HTML&textMonth=May&textDay=8&CompYearList=select+a+year