I’ve been concerned with the differences between the Basin High/Low graphs and the statewide snowpack map when looking at the snow products from the NRCS this year. This morning Mage Hultstrand sent the following in email:
Hi John
We are in the process of converting the line graphs to the new averages. We have almost all the new averages complete so I think it is best to start using the statewide snowpack map. If you need basin numbers you can use the daily update report until we get the line graphs updated.
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/reports/UpdateReport.html?textReport=Colorado&textRptKey=5&textFormat=SNOTEL+Snow%2FPrecipitation+Update+Report&StateList=5&RegionList=Select+a+Region+or+Basin&SpecialList=Select+a+Special+Report&MonthList=January&DayList=7&YearList=2013&FormatList=N0&OutputFormatList=HTML&textMonth=January&textDay=7&CompYearList=select+a+yearCheers,
Mage
The daily report gives snowpack as a percent of the median value but you can get the totals for your favorite SNOTEL. Click on the thumbnail graphic for the snowpack map from January 4, 2013.
From the Longmont Times-Call (Magdalena Wegrzyn):
According to Times-Call weather consultant Dave Larison, last year brought Longmont about 7.83 inches of precipitation, slightly more than half of the 30-year norm of 14.24 inches. The driest year on record is 1939, which had 6.42 inches of precipitation. Weather records for the city date back to 1910.
Drought conditions in 2012 prompted Paul Schlagel, who farms 1,500 acres of corn, sugar beets, barley and alfalfa east of Longmont, to lease 500 acre-feet of water from the Colorado-Big Thompson Project.