Snow!

[atomicmonkey]

Is there a way to track snow levels this winter? It would be interesting to compare this winter with the last few winters.
Thanks.
Everyone, have a happy new year, I am sure 2013 at Yosemite will be Epic!!

[dan]

The State of California takes snow measurements, some of them automated with snow pillows and radios and has historical data. A few stations are in Yosemite:

http://www.water.ca.gov/floodmgmt/hafoo ... /snowpack/

The Tuolumne Meadows Winter Rangers also take manual measurements and make other observations. They haven't reported in yet for 2012-2013 though:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tmconditions.htm

[balzaccom]

The SF Chronicle used to print a snow report on their weather page. It included snow depth at most of the major ski areas in the Sierra. i haven't seen it this year, and wonder if they discontinued it. But their website. SFGate doesn't seem to find it anywhere...

But this might help:

http://www.weatherstreet.com/weather-fo ... -cover.htm

[atomicmonkey]

Thanks! These are great sites and are giving me tons of info to dream about the white fluffy stuff. I can't wait to get out and play in it! Also, I am so anxious for next summers trips... more snow.... more water!!

Several years ago, I saw a chart that listed monthly snow levels for something like 15 years. I think it was at Tuolumne Meadows. It was fun to compare snow now to water later.

Thanks again!

[atomicmonkey]

From the Yosemite Daily Report, April 4: April Snow Survey Results

Results for the April snow survey show that the Merced River basin snowpack is at 53% of average while the Tuolumne River basin is at 52% of average for this time of year. Last year, the Merced was at 47% while the Tuolumne was at 43%, but the distribution of snow is much different this year. Last year, the snowpack was fairly consistently about 45% of average at all surveyed elevations. This year, the snowpack is about 70% of average down to around 8,000 feet, but drops off substantially below that. So, those early-June high- elevation backpacking trips that might have been possible last year will probably be much snowier this year. (M. Fincher/J. Trust)