Last month’s statewide snowpack report shows impressive gains of 10 to 30 inches of snow the first week of February. Mid-month brought slightly less accumulation, but gains, nonetheless.
According to USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Bozeman, statewide snowpack percentages range from 80-100% of normal. That’s 20-30% higher than snow pack levels at this time last year.
Notable exceptions include The Sun-Teton-Marias and St. Mary River basins where the snowpack is about 70% of normal this year.
Early indicators suggest slightly below-normal runoff is possible this spring and summer.
NRCS says even places with above-normal snowpack for this time of the year need more snow to reach average levels before summer.
Long range weather forecasts suggest valley rain and mountain snow showers likely over the next two weeks.
