Dock pilings, Flathead River, Montana
Is it February? January in western Montana was a wash in terms of precipitation, if anything we lost snow pack. I think I actually saw 50°f in town last week when the sun managed to find a hole to shine through. Other than the almost permanent cloud cover, it has been a pretty easy winter- so far. Montana FWP’s claim that high deer and elk mortality is weather related is going to be an even harder sell this year.
I have a nagging feeling that this weather trend will continue till May and then it will start building some snow pack.
MONTANA SNOTEL Snow Water Equivalent Update Graph
As of SUNDAY: JANUARY 31 , 2010
| Basin | Snow Water Equivalent Percent of Average |
| KOOTENAI RIVER BASIN |  74% |
| FLATHEAD RIVER BASIN | 76% |
| UPPER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN | 75% |
| BITTERROOT RIVER BASIN |  55% |
| LOWER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN | 56% |
| JEFFERSON RIVER BASIN | 77% |
| MADISON RIVER BASIN | 73% |
| GALLATIN RIVER BASIN | 80% |
| MISSOURI HEADWATERS | 76% |
| HEADWATERS MISSOURI MAINSTEM | 89% |
| SMITH, JUDITH, AND MUSSELSHELL RIVER BASINS |  99% |
| SUN, TETON AND MARIAS RIVER BASINS | 65% |
| MISSOURI MAINSTEM RIVER BASIN | 83% |
| ST MARY AND MILK RIVER BASINS | 79% |
| UPPER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN | 72% |
| WIND RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 69% |
| SHOSHONE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 62% |
| BIGHORN RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 68% |
| TONGUE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 74% |
| POWDER RIVER BASIN (WYOMING) | 81% |
| LOWER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN | 70% |
| Legend: | <70% |
70-90% |
91-110% |
 111-130% |
 >130% |
