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Snowfall Season Starts Slow, Mountain Snowpack Below Average

January 8, 2007

For More Information:
Roy Kaiser, 406-587-6991
Tasha Gibby, 406-587-6971

Bozeman--“The snowfall season has gotten off to a slow start and statewide mountain snowpack is below average,” said Roy Kaiser, Natural Resources Conservation Service water supply specialist.

The NRCS provides mountain snowpack data and streamflow forecasts by evaluating data gathered at automated and manual sites located throughout the foothills and mountains of the western United States.

“The snow water content recorded on Jan. 1, 2007, represents about 45 percent of the seasonal snowfall,” said Kaiser. “Even though this year has had a slow start, there remains more than half of the season for improvement.”

Over the past week, mountain snowpack has improved by 16 percent west of the Continental Divide, seven percent east of the Divide, and 13 percent in the St. Mary river basin. Mountain precipitation for Dec. west of the Divide was 71 percent of average and east of the Divide was 72 percent of average. According to Kaiser, westerly storm patterns have provided good fall moisture, especially west of the Divide.

Mountain snow water content statewide was 82 percent of average and 84 percent of last year. West of the Continental Divide, mountain snow water content was 85 percent of average and 99 percent of last year. East of the Continental Divide, mountain snow water content was 79 percent of average and 76 percent of last year.

Snow Water Content
River Basin Percent of Average Percent of Last Year
Columbia 85 99
--Kootenai 92 122
--Flathead 79 99
--Upper Clark Fork 84 83
--Bitterroot 84 83
--Lower Clark Fork 95 108
Missouri 81 73
--Missouri Headwaters 80 70
----Jefferson 81 74
----Madison 78 69
----Gallatin 73 59
--Missouri Mainstem 84 78
----Headwaters Mainstem 89 81
----Smith-Judith-Musselshell 77 57
----Sun-Teton-Marias 89 140
----Milk (Bearpaw Mountains) 91 66
St. Mary 80 141
St. Mary & Milk 82 112
Yellowstone 76 73
--Upper Yellowstone 77 68
--Lower Yellowstone 74 83
Statewide 82 84

Across Montana, streamflows are forecast to average between 70 and 87 percent, for the period April 1 through July 31. West of the Continental Divide, streamflows are forecast to average between 79 and 93 percent and east of the Continental Divide, streamflows are forecast to average between 63 and 83 percent.

Below are the river basin streamflow forecasts for the period April 1 through July 31. These forecasts assume near normal moisture and runoff conditions January through July and do not account for well below average (70 percent or less) or above average (110 percent or more snow melt or spring rain.

Streamflow Forecasts
River Basin April-July This Year Percent of Average April-July Last Year Percent of Average
Columbia 79 to 93 82 to 96
--Kootenai 89 to 103 68 to 81
--Flathead 80 to 90 80 to 90
--Upper Clark Fork 74 to 92 89 to 106
--Bitterroot 75 to 89 91 to 106
--Lower Clark Fork 80 to 94 78 to 93
Missouri 61 to 84 74 to 96
--Jefferson 54 to 76 66 to 86
--Madison 78 to 88 103 to 112
--Gallatin 78 to 90 106 to 118
--Missouri Mainstem 77 to 88 87 to 101
--Smith-Judith-Musselshell 41 to 67 104 to 127
--Sun-Teton-Marias 70 to 95 47 to 68
--Milk 46 to 98 46 to 92
St. Mary 88 to 96 67 to 75
Yellowstone 67 to 80 91 to 103
--Upper Yellowstone 75 to 88 98 to 111
--Lower Yellowstone 55 to 68 79 to 93
Statewide 70 to 87 80 to 96


NOTE: The April-July Last Year Percent of Average column above is what was forecast last year, not what actually occurred.

For more detailed snow water content, streamflow forecast, and climate data for Montana, visit the NRCS snow survey program website.

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