It’s been an interesting winter to watch our snowpack develop. From our massive New Year winter storm to the January and February dry spell, to the recent weeks of valley rain and mountain snow—we have certainly been hanging onto our hats this season.

The figure below represents our snowpack in comparison to last winter, the winter of 2017/2018, and the median snowpack. Snow water equivalent (SWE)— the amount of liquid water in the snowpack—is currently 89% of normal as of April 26. The median ‘peak date’ for this watershed—the date when snowpack is typically at its maximum—is April 12. This year, we have received 2.3 inches of SWE since that date, bringing our SWE closer to last year’s peak. The snowpack in the Upper Snake River watershed is measured using a combination of eight SNOTEL (Snow Telemetry) sites across the headwaters of the Snake River, from the Lewis Lake divide to Togwotee Pass.