Click here to read the report. Here’s an excerpt:

Colorado’s snowpack remains at above normal levels heading into February. A stream of moisture brought heavy snow to much of the state over the last few days of January, favorably amplifying the snowpack in all major river basins. Preceding this storm, many SNOTEL stations in the southwest basins and along the Continental Divide had received less than normal snowpack accumulations. However, the latest storm produced between 1 and 4 inches of SWE for the majority of Colorado’s SNOTEL sites. Although there are a few individual mountain locations that maintain a snowpack that is below the median, all of Colorado’s major river basins are at above normal levels. The combined San Juan, Dolores, Animas, and San Juan River basin holds the greatest snowpack, with respect to normal, at 122 percent of median, in part due to the bountiful snowpack in the San Miguel River basin, which is the highest in the state at 150 percent of median. This is in stark contrast to last year at this time when the combined southwest basins’ snowpack only amounted to 66 percent of the median. The combined Yampa, White, and North Platte basin ranks lowest among the major river basins, but is still above normal with a snowpack at 103 percent of median. Although there is a substantial portion of the winter still ahead, most of Colorado’s basins are currently on track to have a healthy snow accumulation season.

Thanks to a storm that impacted Colorado over the last few days of January, statewide mountain precipitation for the water year remains above normal. As of February 1st, water year-to-date precipitation (WYTD) for Colorado is at 109 percent of average. January precipitation was divided among the major river basins in Colorado; basins east of the Continental Divide generally received less than average precipitation while basins west of the divide received near or above average accumulations. The Rio Grande River basin had the lowest January precipitation relative to average at 73 percent. The Arkansas and South Platte basins were also below average at 78 and 87 percent respectively. However, this lack of precipitation was not enough to diminish the benefits from the wet December that these basins experienced, and all still have above average WYTD precipitation. The combined Yampa, White, North Platte River basin experienced the greatest January precipitation with respect to normal and received 114 percent of its average monthly levels. This boosted the basin’s WYTD precipitation to 99 percent of average. The Gunnison and Colorado River basins also saw above average January precipitation each at 107 percent and the combined San Miguel, Dolores, Animas, San Juan River basin was slightly below normal at 94 percent of average. Each of these river basins also have WYTD precipitation that is well above average, continuing the positive precipitation trends for Colorado.

February 1st seasonal streamflow forecasts for most major basins in Colorado are predicting near to above normal volumes. Forecasts for rivers flowing from the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado are consistently the highest forecasts in the state. Vallecito Reservoir inflow has the smallest forecast in the region at 108 percent of normal and Gurley Reservoir inflow has the highest, at 122 percent. The Upper Rio Grande, also in southwest Colorado, follows close behind and has no points forecast to have below normal streamflow volumes with the highest being Saguache Creek near Saguache at 116 percent. The rest of the major basins in the state have forecasts surrounding, but generally near, normal values with a slightly decreasing trend from south to north throughout the state. The lowest percent of normal streamflow forecasts are currently on the Little Snake River, a major tributary to the Yampa that flows in northwest Colorado, but has much of its snow accumulating headwaters in Wyoming. Forecasts on the Little Snake range from 80 to 87 percent of normal. This general south to north decreasing trend also follows the snowpack accumulation trend, which is commonly observed during strong El Nino cycles, such as the one which has been experienced so far this winter.

From The Greeley Tribune (Nikki Work):

A snowy week across the state added to Colorado’s already positive snowpack numbers, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The whole state is above the historic average for snowpack, and the river basins that impact Weld County — the South Platte and the Upper Colorado — are both more than 10 percent above normal. These levels impact what the summer water supply will look like for the area, according to Brian Werner of the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District.

As of Thursday, the South Platte River Basin was 12 percent above the historic average, and the Upper Colorado River Basin was 15 percent above average.

Reservoir storage numbers are up as well, with nearly every basin in the state above average as of Feb. 1. Werner said it’s important to use both snowpack and reservoir numbers to examine future water supply, because once the weather warms up in the spring and summer, and the snowpack melts, the pressure will fall on the reservoirs.

The South Platte River Basin is up 5 percent, and the Upper Colorado River Basin is up 9 percent. As a whole, the state is up 10 percent.

For the southern part of the state, which has suffered from drought for several years, these numbers are cause for hope. Werner said at a recent water meeting, he saw water officials from the southeast and southwest counties smiling for the first time in a while.

However, Werner said it’s too early to get comfortable, because while the averages are up in comparison to previous years, the most important months for snowpack are March and April, because that’s when the wettest snows of the year come. Werner said he’s seen winters where the snowpack numbers have been up early in the winter, but a dry spring has derailed hopes of a good water year.

In order to see one of those, we’ll need to see more snow, he said.

Though it’s too early to get cozy, Werner said he anticipates a good water year for farmers and ranchers, who have been sitting mostly pretty since the massive drought in 2012. If the snowpack and reservoir numbers stay on track, farmers shouldn’t have to worry about water supply restricting their acreage, he said.

From The Aspen Times (Scott Condon):

The storm that dumped 37 inches of snow on the slopes of Aspen’s ski areas Saturday into Tuesday was the 10th largest storm cycle in 37 years, according to Aspen Skiing Co.’s records. Skico Vice President of Operations Rich Burkley said the last big storm cycle was February 2014.

The storm did wonders for Aspen’s snowpack. It was at 100 percent of normal going into the weekend at an automated measuring station near the headwaters of the Roaring Fork River, according to the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service. It now stands at 115 percent of average.

In a recent posting on the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, Aspen zone forecaster Blase Reardon noted that 20 percent of the snowpack that has accumulated so far this season fell during the most recent storm. The avalanche danger spiked with one-fifth of the snowpack accumulating in just 72 hours.

Closer to Aspen, the storm on the last day of January boosted total snowfall for the month well above average, according to weather observer Laura Taylor at the Aspen Water Treatment Plant. She reported that 11 inches of snow fell Jan. 31. For the month, the water plant received nearly 35 inches of snow. The average is 26 inches. Only 5.26 inches of snow fell in January 2015, according to the water department’s records.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service reported that every major river basin in the Colorado mountains is running well ahead of last year’s snowpack levels. The Colorado River basin, which includes the Roaring Fork drainage, is 116 percent of last year’s snowpack as of Feb. 1. River basins in southwestern Colorado are 185 percent of last year’s snowpack.

US Drought Monitor February 2, 2016

West Drought Monitor February 2, 2016

Colorado Drought Monitor February 2, 2016

Click here to go to the US Drought Monitor website. Here’s an excerpt:

Summary

The week following the major East Coast snowstorm/blizzard was characterized by the passage of several cold fronts across the contiguous U.S., frequently changing temperature patterns related to deamplifying flow aloft, and widespread precipitation across the Great Lakes, the Southeast and the West. By the end of the observed period (Tuesday morning, 7am Eastern time), a major storm system had developed across the Southwest and was moving across the Central states, attended by areas of heavy snow (and in some cases, blizzard conditions), heavy rain, flash flooding, and severe weather…

The Far West

Western Washington, western Oregon, and approximately the northern half of California reported large precipitation surpluses during the past two weeks. The largest surpluses (4-8 inches or greater, liquid equivalent) were noted across the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, extreme southwestern Oregon, northwestern California, and in the northern Sierras. Viewed from a somewhat different perspective, AHPS Percent of Normal Precipitation (PNP) values ranged primarily between 150-300 percent of normal. In contrast, the coastal region of southern California had PNPs ranging between the 25th and 50th percentiles of the historical distribution.

Preliminary PARS data from the USDA (through January 30th) provides an informative look at reservoir conditions for the state of California. From about Sacramento northward to the Oregon border, PARS values generally range between 70-120 percent of average, though there are values that fall outside this range. Between Sacramento and Bakersfield, PARS values generally range between 20-70 percent of average, while south of Bakersfield, there are large variations between reservoirs, in addition to a relatively small sample size, making it difficult to approximate a useful range of values.

As of February 3rd, SNOTEL basin-average Snow Water Content (SWC) values in the California Sierras range from 110-150 percent of average. SWC values in northwestern Oregon range from 25-125 percent of average, and between 125-150 percent of average in the southwestern part of the state. In western Washington, SWC values range from 90-110 percent of average.

Despite heavy rainfall in January, an above-average snowpack and rising reservoirs in many areas, the California State Water Resources Control Board recently approved an 8-month extension of existing drought-related emergency regulations. This is a reminder that although El Nino-related precipitation has been bountiful so far this winter, the drought situation in California remains very serious.

It was decided to hold off on making substantial changes to the depiction in the far West until next week, despite heavy precipitation and rebounding stream flows in the short-term (past few weeks). This is because it takes time to assess the impacts all this moisture will have on long-term deficits and other hydrological considerations. The only change made this week was in the northern Sierras of California (El Dorado County), where the coverage of exceptional drought (D4) was reduced…

The Great Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley

For the few remaining areas of drought across the Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley, precipitation for the past two weeks has been generally close to, or slightly above, normal. In Texas, January 2016 precipitation was about 62 percent of normal statewide. Consideration of various 2-6 month precipitation indicators supported the introduction of D0 to Tom Green County in west-central Texas, and the introduction of D0 to Nueces and San Patricio Counties (along the southern coast near Corpus Christi). These same precipitation indicators, and the occurrence of fairly substantial evaporation, supported the expansion of pre-existing D0 conditions across Starr and Hidalgo Counties in far southern Texas. Decent precipitation fell in western Kansas prior to the data cutoff time (12z Tuesday) from a potent storm which brought a variety of weather hazards and precipitation types to the Central states. The amount of precipitation received thus far does not appear to be enough to eliminate the residual area of D0 in west-central Kansas, though it is enough to at least offset the dry pattern experienced during the last 30-days. In Nebraska and the Dakotas, the preliminary Percent of Average Reservoir Storage (PARS) data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as of January 31, 2016, shows values that generally range between 90-140 percent of average. In North Dakota, lack of snow cover, and 30-day and 60-day PNP ACIS (Applied Climate Information System) maps warranted a generous expansion of D0 conditions from its current location northward to the Canadian border (as far east as Rolette County), and as far west as the Missouri River. This is also consistent with neighboring dryness/drought across the border in southeastern Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba…

The Rockies and Intermountain region

During the last 14-days, northern and central portions of both the Rockies and Intermountain region experienced near- to above-normal precipitation amounts. Southern portions of both the Rockies and Intermountain region saw near- to below-normal precipitation amounts during the same observational period. PARS data indicates that reservoirs in Montana near the Continental Divide are generally running about 60-120 percent of average, and reservoirs across the High Plains of Montana are running about 105-150 percent of average. The only change to the depiction in Montana this week was to trim the severe drought (D2) area away from the Canadian border. This was based upon several considerations. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapo-transpiration Index (SPEI) from 1-4 months, current stream flows running close to normal, and relatively wet conditions just north of the border in neighboring parts of Alberta and British Columbia. In Wyoming, PARS values range from about 95-175 percent of average, while in Colorado, reservoirs are averaging close to normal. Significant snowfall was reported in Colorado during the past few days (many areas received a foot or more of new snow). Reassessment of conditions next week will be needed to see if the removal of existing D0 areas in Colorado is warranted…

Looking Ahead

During February 4-8, 1-3 inches of precipitation is expected to fall across New England, New York, and the mid-Atlantic region, while 2-5 inches is forecast across parts of the Southeast. This should reduce, if not eliminate, some of the D0 coverage in this part of the country. For the northwestern quarter of the contiguous U.S., the mountainous areas can expect precipitation amounts (liquid equivalent) to range from about 0.5-1.5 inches, with perhaps as much as 4-6 inch amounts confined to the Olympic Peninsula and northern Cascades in Washington state.

During the ensuing 5 days (February 9-13), there are elevated odds of above-median precipitation from the Dakotas eastward across the Great Lakes to the northern Atlantic Coast, as well as for most of Alaska. Below-median precipitation is favored for most of the remainder of the contiguous U.S.

Here’s the February 4, 2016 release from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (Brian Domonkos):

According to NOAA’s National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC) nearly all of Colorado was covered in snow on February 3rd, thanks to two significant snow storms that graced Colorado near the first of the month. Statewide Colorado mountain snowpack on February 1st was 111 percent of normal, up from a January low of 105 percent on January 28th. “Without these two storms January precipitation totals would have only been near 70 percent normal, however as a result of these late January storms, statewide January precipitation closed out the month at 98 percent of normal and109 percent of the year-to-date total,” states Brian Domonkos, Colorado Snow Survey Supervisor with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Snowfall continued through February 3rd, which placed some extra icing on the cake and increased snowpack totals up to as high as 117 percent of normal on the morning of February 4th. The mountains of Southern Colorado saw the greatest increase in snow water equivalent, affecting the San Juans and Sangre De Cristos. From January 28th to February 3rd total snowpack depth increased as much as 30 inches at Cumbres Trestle SNOTEL in the San Juan Mountain range.

On February 1st snowpack in only a handful of minor watersheds across the entire state of Colorado were below the 100 percent mark, yet these were close to normal at above 90 percent. All other drainages were above to well above normal. While the late January storms benefitted the entire state, January precipitation as a whole was particularly slim in the Arkansas and Upper Rio Grande basins and storms only amounted to about 75 percent of normal monthly snowpack accumulation.

For more detailed information about individual Colorado watersheds or supporting water supply related information, have a look at the Colorado Water Supply Outlook Report or feel free to go to the Colorado Snow Survey website at:

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/co/snow/

Or contact Brian Domonkos, Colorado Snow Survey Supervisor at Brian.Domonkos@mt.usda.gov or 720-544-2852.

Statewide snowpack map February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

Arkansas River Basin High/Low graph February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

Upper Colorado River Basin High/Low graph February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

Gunnison River Basin High/Low graph February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

Laramie and North Platte Basin High/Low graph February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

Upper Rio Grande River Basin High/Low graph February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

San Miguel, Dolores, Animas, and San Juan Basin High/Low graph February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

South Platte River Basin High/Low graph February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

Yampa and White Basin High/Low graph February 3, 2016 via the NRCS.

From The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (Dennis Webb):

Colorado’s snowpack was at 117 percent of average as of Tuesday, according to federal Natural Resources Conservation Service data. If coming months deliver even average snowfall, it will mean plentiful runoff reaching reservoirs this spring and abundant water this summer for Currier and others to use to irrigate fields.

If anything, the rest of the snow season should be above-average. Cory Gates, a meteorologist with aspenweather.net in Aspen and formerly a National Weather Service forecaster, said the El Niño weather pattern that has brought so much moisture so far this fall and winter probably will result in a normal February, followed almost certainly by a wet March and April.

“The rest of the winter is still going to be an El Niño-type winter. Even though it’s weakened out there, there’s plenty of characteristics of it still,” he said.

El Niño winters stem from warmer ocean temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. This year’s El Niño is one of the strongest on record. From early on, it had forecasters predicting a wet start to the season’s snowfall, possibly a slowdown in snowfall in mid-winter, and then a wet March and April if the El Niño conditions held on that long.

Fortunately, even January remained above normal for local snowfall, Gates said.

The bountiful snowfall carried into the start of February this week, as everyone knows, from skiers enjoying powder days to students who reveled in rare school snow-day closures.

Gates said Aspen ski resorts got about 40 inches of snow in the last three days.

“The skiing is epic. I talk to a lot of people every day. It’s up to their waists and they’ve got on big powder skis and they’re having fun,” he said.

Snowpack Tuesday in the Upper Colorado River Basin was at 116 percent, and the Gunnison Basin was at 122 percent. Snowpack ranged from 102 percent in the Laramie/North Platte basins to 130 percent in the San Miguel, Dolores, Animas and San Juan basins. El Niño winters are usually particularly generous in terms of snowfall in southwest Colorado, and less so in northwestern Colorado.

According to a weekly update from the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University, which works with the National Integrated Drought Information System, “Western Colorado saw mostly above-average precipitation over the past month, generally more than 200 percent of normal. The San Luis Valley was a dry area though, with parts of Alamosa and Conejos counties down to 20 percent of normal.”

Statewide snowpack is actually down a bit from 121 percent as of Dec. 30. Levels in the Upper Colorado and Gunnison basins increased slightly during the last month.

Currier also is involved with Colorado water policy as a member of the state Interbasin Compact Committee. He said the state’s water picture looked bleak as recently as last April, before being boosted by strong spring snow and then a lot of rain in the summer.

“And then the start of the snowpack this year has been really good news,” he said.

An automated snowpack measurement at Park Reservoir on the Grand Mesa already shows 19 inches of snow water equivalent. That’s promising for irrigators, because usually if it peaks at around 23 to 25 inches for the winter, reservoirs on the mesa will fill, Currier said.

He’s less certain what might happen to water levels this year in Lake Powell, which states in the Upper Colorado River Basin rely on to meet water delivery obligations to downstream states. Currier said it all depends on what happens in March and April, which are crucial months for snowpack, and he noted that one Upper Basin state, Wyoming, has below-average snow.

“We’ve still got some catching up to do in the northern part of the Colorado River Basin to have as much as we’d like to have,” he said.

Gates’ confidence that a snowy March and April are coming leads him to believe that Lake Powell’s water level will go up “a lot” — probably between 40 and 47 feet, he said.

From The Pueblo Chieftain (Chris Woodka):

This week’s snow added to an already abundant snowpack in Colorado.

As of Wednesday, all areas of the state were above the median snowpack for the date, with most areas about 10,000 feet already above 60 percent of the average peak snowpack for the year, with some places above 75 percent or more. The peak usually is reached in April.

“All of our snow courses were at 100 percent of average at the end of the month,” said Rick Sexton, caretaker for Clear Creek Reservoir for the Pueblo Board of Water Works. “That was before the most recent snow.”

Pueblo Water keeps track of snow in the mountains as an indicator of how much water transmountain diversions likely will bring in through ditches and tunnels for the coming year.

Statewide, the snow water equivalent for the state was 117 percent of median, with both the Arkansas River and Rio Grande basins at 121 percent. The measurement is made by estimating how much moisture is in the snowpack, based on depth and temperature. In the Arkansas River watershed, the snow water equivalent ranges from 3-12 inches at Natural Resources Conservation Service stations.

Southern Colorado recorded more than a foot of snow in some places, including northern El Paso County and Colorado City. There were 3-14 inches in the Upper Arkansas Valley and 2-5 inches east of Pueblo. About 3-5 inches fell in Pueblo and Pueblo West. More snow or drizzle Wolf Creek Pass, as usual, is reporting the greatest snow depth in the state, with 86 inches at the NRCS station and the ski area reporting a midcourse depth of 102 inches.

Pueblo’s official precipitation for the year has reached 0.83 inches, which is more than twice the average.

The Fryingpan Arkansas Project is on track to bring in 67,800 acrefeet, well above normal, according to the Feb. 1 forecast by the Bureau of Reclamation. That usually changes as weather conditions fluctuate.

“It’s still early,” said Roy Vaughan, Fry-Ark manager for the Bureau of Reclamation. “We rely on the May 1 forecast.”

With reservoir levels above average, there could be issues with storing water in Lake Pueblo and other places this spring once the snow starts melting. Fry-Ark project water has first priority.

Climate models are predicting a strong El Nino (warming of the Pacific Ocean) will continue, meaning above average precipitation in Southern Colorado through this spring.

From TheDenverChannel.com (Marc Stewart):

“The average snow pack is about 120% of normal in the mountains right now, so we’re in really good shape, especially in early February,” said Denver7 Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson.

According to Denver Water: Collection in the Upper South Platte watershed is 126% of normal and in the Upper Colorado River watershed it is 118% of normal…

The snow helps to keep the ground moist, so wildfires don’t spread. More water in the reservoirs can mean fewer restrictions when watering your lawn this summer.

The months ahead are encouraging.

Warm waters in the Pacific Ocean could lead to more snow and rain here in the Rockies in March and April – a phenomenon known as El Nino.

Still there is cautious optimism.

“It’s way too early to be cheering victory or saying that we’re already going to have a great summer of water supply We still have some big months ahead of us as water supply goes,” said [Travis Thompson].

From 9News.com (Maya Rodriguez):

Our recent winter storm in Colorado put the state back on track when it comes to snowpack levels in the mountains. The snow — which was measured in inches in the metro area, but in feet in the mountains — means Colorado’s snowpack rebounded after a slow January.

“Statewide, it was a huge factor,” said Brian Domonkos, Colorado Snow Survey Supervisor with the USDA/NRCS. “Without the storm, snow totals and precipitation totals for January were going to be in about the 70 percent of normal range.”

Now, though, statewide snowpack is up to about 118 percent of what it would normally be at this time of the year. What does that mean? For now, you can expect good skiing, and later on in the year, it could be good news for Colorado’s drinking water supply…

What happens in January and February, though, isn’t always an indicator of what might happen from March until May. Still, the influence of El Nino out in the Pacific, usually means there is the potential for more snow in Colorado. In the mountains, snowpack season is longer than the traditional winter start of Dec. 21. Snowpack season starts in October and runs through April, when the snow begins to melt.

“We’re, at this point, about two-thirds of the way through the typical snowpack accumulation season,” Domonkos said.

Historically, February is one of the winter months which sees that lowest snowpack accumulation, before it picks up again in March and April. That means, from here on out, every flake of snowfall counts.

From The High Country News (Paige Blankenbuehler):

At the beginning of February last year, South Lake Tahoe in California was nearly 60 degrees Fahrenheit, almost 20 degrees above its historic average. At that time, the drought had been dragging along for four years and chair lifts at nearby ski resorts were swaying over barren slopes. Representatives from the California Department of Water Resources called the Sierra Nevada snowpack “dismally meager,” at only 23 percent of normal.

Now, it’s a drastically different story. January has been California’s best month for snowpack since 2011, and the state’s measurements are at 127 percent of normal. Although California’s snowpack is above normal this year, it’s still not enough to make up the deficit from the persisting drought in the state. It is enough, though, to keep ski resorts running and reservoirs in the state from drying up.

Above normal snowpack measurements are tracking for most of the West, too. The season was off to a slow start with sporadic storms October through December, but January winter precipitation increased measurements across all states, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s SNOTEL sites, which measure snow depth at thousands of stations nation-wide. Utah claimed the biggest increase from early season snowpack, from 84 percent to 118 percent snowpack readings on February 1. Over the past month, California snowpack increased from 90 to 127 percent, and Arizona jumped from 83 percent to 113 percent of normal.

Only two Western states, Montana and Wyoming, are below the historic benchmark for “normal” at this time of year — and not by much. North-central Wyoming and the eastern slope of the Northern Rockies in Montana are the low-snow areas. Both states are more than 80 percent of normal for this time of year, and February is a crucial month for snow. Snowpack typically builds until April, says Alan Haynes, a hydrologist for the California Nevada River Forecast Center.

But even states with snowpack measurements lagging behind, readings from early in the season have improved. Since December, snow depth in Montana has hobbled to 84 percent of normal — from 73 percent in early December. And Wyoming similarly increased to 84 percent, from about 75.

Measurements from SNOTEL sites across the West, which have been recording precipitation and snow depth this season since Oct. 1, 2015, are painting a reverse picture of last year. Areas that were far below average last year — the Tahoe Basin in California and the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest — are recording the highest precipitation in the West so far this season.

The most precipitation has fallen in Washington and Oregon. In terms of percent of normal snowpack, Nevada has been leading the region with nearly 140 percent of normal readings across the state, according to data compiled by NRCS.

In California, local forecasters say the past few months are finally chipping away at the state’s five-year drought. The deficit will be hard to overcome, Haynes says, but if this season continues, the state might avoid fallowing fields. California gets 30 percent of its total water supply from snowpack, and reservoirs that have been low are now slowly filling up. Shasta Reservoir, one of the largest storage systems in the state is currently more than 50 percent full, or about 75 percent of the historical average for this time. “If we get shut out for the rest of the winter, the outlook could be bleak,” Haynes says.

Winter recreation in California is also benefitting from the abundant snow. The Hagens Meadow SNOTEL site near South Lake Tahoe is reporting 53 inches of snow depth, or 158 percent of normal, and Ostrander Lake site, in south Yosemite National Park, has had 220 inches of snow…

While El Niño may be creating a more robust winter storm pattern, it’s difficult to attribute all of the heavy snow to the global weather phenomenon. “This year has been a really strong El Niño, but we’re seeing snowfall patterns that are somewhat unusual for this weather event,” Haynes says. The Northwest, which would typically be fairly dry, is wet. And precipitation in south-central California hasn’t lived up to early El Niño predictions for that part of the state. The U.S. Drought Monitor remains cautiously optimistic about recovery. According to the center’s January 28 report, “the trend is going in the right direction for now with a good chunk of the snow season still left to play out over the next two months.”

From The Kearney Hub (Lori Potter):

“Everything is just in good shape,” Civil engineer Cory Steinke said in his report Monday to the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District Board of Directors.

Lake McConaughy, which stores water for CNPPID irrigation, hydropower, wildlife habitat and recreation, and for other water interests, is 83.5 percent of a full volume at 1,457,000 acre-feet.
Steinke said North Platte River inflows at Lewellen have been around 1,200 cubic feet per second, and the South Platte is “roaring pretty good” at 1,200-1,400 cfs at the Colorado-Nebraska state line. Releases from Lake McConaughy were at 900 cfs Monday.

He said South Platte water is running through CNPPID hydros and is the main factor in overall flows exceeding current Central Platte River targets set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for wildlife habitat. Steinke expects diversions into the Phelps Canal for seepage into groundwater that eventually reaches the river can continue until at least Feb. 15.

Meanwhile, mountain snowpacks that produce the Platte River’s headwaters continue to grow. Steinke said that in the North Platte Basin, the upper area’s snowpack is at 98 percent of normal for Feb. 1, and the lower basin is at 106 percent. The South Platte Basin is at 105 percent.

From email from the NRCS (Brian Domonkos):

With only one third of the winter remaining in the mountains of Colorado how much snowpack is currently in place and how much snowmelt runoff can irrigators, dam operators, river enthusiasts and all other water users expect this spring and summer for water availability?

February 2nd, 2016 – The NRCS Colorado Snow Survey program will be hosting its annual Media Day on February 9th at 9:00 am MST at the Berthoud Summit SNOw TELemetry (SNOTEL) site. With the latest data and streamflow forecasts recently published in the February 1, 2016 Water Supply Outlook Report we plan to field all your questions regarding this latest snowstorm and current streamflow prospects for spring runoff.

Be sure to bring touring skis or snowshoes (which you can rent from many locations around the area) so that you can access the data site which is a 200 yard uphill trek from Colorado Highway 40. In order to be at the SNOTEL site by 9:30 am we ask that everyone meet at the Berthoud Pass proper parking area (very top of the Pass) at 9:00 am. From there we will drive a very short distance down the west side of Berthoud Pass toward Winter Park to a small parking area where we will suit up in our gear and then proceed by foot up to the SNOTEL. If you would like you may reserve a pair of snowshoes with us, but keep in mind we only have a limited supply, please send an email to brian.domonkos@co.usda.gov or karl.wetlaufer@co.usda.gov requesting snowshoes.