Here’s the latest from Montana NRCS for the current state of Montana’s snow pack. Also included is Montana river flow forecast for April-July 2009.
If NOAA’s climate model for early April is correct there will be little relief for my nearly manic case of cabin fever. I am starting to have some serious doubts about this whole global warming thing. The weather is just like last year, how many years before it becomes a trend? Then a friggin’ ice age?
What happened to global warming guru, Al Gore anyway? I think he’s got some explaining to do. Drag his ass off that yacht in the Bermuda Triangle and get him up to Fargo to explain their global warming problem.
Check out SwittersB for an interesting post on St. Helen’s growing glaciers.
MONTANA SNOTEL Snow Water Equivalent Update Graph
As of FRIDAY: MARCH 27 , 2009
| Basin | Snow Water Equivalent Percent of Average |
| KOOTENAI RIVER BASIN |  92% |
| FLATHEAD RIVER BASIN |  89% |
| UPPER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN | 100% |
| BITTERROOT RIVER BASIN | 97% |
| LOWER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN | 95% |
| JEFFERSON RIVER BASIN | 98% |
| MADISON RIVER BASIN | 93% |
| GALLATIN RIVER BASIN | 99% |
| MISSOURI HEADWATERS | 96% |
| HEADWATERS MISSOURI MAINSTEM | 102% |
| SMITH, JUDITH, AND MUSSELSHELL RIVER BASINS | 97% |
| SUN, TETON AND MARIAS RIVER BASINS | 85% |
| MISSOURI MAINSTEM RIVER BASIN | 93% |
| ST MARY AND MILK RIVER BASINS | 79% |
| UPPER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN | 103% |
| WIND RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 88% |
| SHOSHONE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 94% |
| BIGHORN RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 99% |
| TONGUE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 98% |
| POWDER RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) |  114% |
| LOWER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN | 95% |
| Legend: |  <70% |
70-90% |
91-110% |
111-130% |
 >130% |
Bozeman–Statewide snowpack slips to below average during February. February generally had scattered mountain snow showers and spring-like temperatures until the last week of the month when areas west of the Continental Divide and areas of north-central Montana had significant snow-water increases.
February snow-water gain in the Columbia River Basin was below average; Missouri River Basin was well below average; Saint Mary River Basin was below average; and Yellowstone River Basin was below average. On March 1, seasonal snowpack accumulation statewide should be about 80 percent. Seasonal snowpack accumulation should be about 85 percent west of the Continental Divide and about 75 percent east of the Continental Divide.
There are normally about 4 to 6 weeks remaining until the seasonal snowpack peak is reached. Statewide mountain snow-water content was 87 percent of average and 81 percent of last year at this time. West of the Continental Divide, snowpack was 85 percent of average and 77 percent of last year, and, east of the Continental Divide, snowpack was 90 percent of average and 88 percent of last year.
| River Basin | Percent of Average | Percent of Last Year | February Percent of Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 85 | 77 | -5 |
| Kootenai Montana | 78 | 118 | -1 |
| Flathead, Montana | 86 | 80 | 0 |
| Upper Clark Fork | 90 | 94 | -12 |
| Bitterroot | 91 | 78 | -8 |
| Lower Clark Fork | 84 | 63 | -5 |
| Missouri | 87 | 84 | -8 |
| Missouri Headwaters | 89 | 84 | -6 |
| Jefferson | 91 | 87 | -10 |
| Madison | 85 | 78 | -3 |
| Gallatin | 91 | 83 | -3 |
| Missouri Mainstream | 84 | 85 | -16 |
| Headwaters Mainstream | 97 | 100 | -9 |
| Smith-Judith-Musselshell | 91 | 100 | -9 |
| Sun-Teton- Marias | 73 | 67 | -5 |
| Milk | 104 | 92 | – |
| Bearpaw Mountains | 117 | 123 | -14 |
| Cypress Hills, Canada | 88 | 71 | – |
| St. Mary | 69 | 63 | +4 |
| St. Mary and Milk | 79 | 71 | -17 |
| Yellowstone | 95 | 97 | -6 |
| Upper Yellowstone | 96 | 93 | -5 |
| Lower Yellowstone | 94 | 101 | -6 |
| Statewide | 87 | 81 | -6 |
Streamflows across Montana are forecast to average 76 to 89 percent. West of the Continental Divide, streamflows are forecast to average 82 to 92 percent, and, east of the Continental Divide, steamflows are forecast to average 71 to 87 percent. Water users and water managers need to pay particular attention to local basins affecting their water supplies, as there are several localized areas where snowpack and streamflow forecasts are below average.
Below are averaged streamflow forecasts, by river basin, for the period April 1 through July 31. THESE FORECASTS ASSUME NEAR NORMAL SPRING CONDITIONS AND DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR WELL BELOW AVERAGE (70% or less) OR ABOVE AVERAGE (110% OR MORE) SNOWMELT OR SPRING RAIN. Specific forecast probabilities are available in each individual River Basin Report on the Montana NRCS web page.
| River Basin | April to July this Year Percent of Average |
April to July Last Year Percent of Average |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia | 82 to 92 | 91 to 101 |
| Kootenai | 74 to 82 | 97 to 105 |
| Flathead | 81 to 91 | 93 to 100 |
| Upper Clark Fork | 85 to 99 | 82 to 96 |
| Bitterroot | 85 to 93 | 97 to 105 |
| Lower Clark Fork | 83 to 89 | 97 to 103 |
| Missouri | 65 to 82 | 79 to 96 |
| Jefferson | 64 to 84 | 74 to 96 |
| Madison | 76 to 83 | 104 to 112 |
| Gallatin | 74 to 84 | 97 to 108 |
| Missouri Mainstem | 67 to 81 | 95 to 110 |
| Smith-Judith-Musselshell | 65 to 86 | 49 to 66 |
| Sun-Teton-Marias | 57 to 74 | 87 to 104 |
| Milk | 68 to 93 | 67 to 94 |
| St. Mary | 76 to 83 | 98 to 105 |
| Yellowstone | 85 to 98 | 95 to 98 |
| Upper Yellowstone | 84 to 95 | 89 to 100 |
| Lower Yellowstone | 85 to 103 | 80 to 95 |
| Statewide | 76 to 89 | 85 to 98 |
NOTE: The APRIL-JULY LAST YEAR % OF AVERAGE column above is what was forecast last year, NOT what actually occurred.
