Columbus Basin SNOTEL

10,780 ftLa Plata County, ColoradoNRCS site 904Updated Thu Oct 22, 7:00 PM MDT

SWE0.1″14% of median
Depth0″−2″ 48 h
Temp35°32°–41° 48 h
Thu 22Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now010.1″Snow depth0″ now020″Air temperature35°F now40°32°35°FNow · Thu 7 PM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now010.1″Snow depth0″ now020″Air temperature35°F now40°32°35°FNow · Thu 7 PM
Sat 17Sun 18Mon 19Tue 20Wed 21Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now010.1″Snow depth0″ now050″Air temperature35°F now40°32°35°FNow · Thu 7 PM
SatSunMonTueWedPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now010.1″Snow depth0″ now050″Air temperature35°F now40°32°35°FNow · Thu 7 PM
0″10″20″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 25.8″ · Apr 170.1″ today · 14% of median
0″10″20″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 25.8″ · Apr 170.1″ today · 14% of median
<50%50–6970–8990–109110–129130–149150%+
0″2″8″16″32″+
0″6″24″48″100″+
Map
Open in the Vertex map

Next 3 days

The forecast for this station is on its way.

16-day outlook, three models

Snowpack vs. median

14%of the 1991–2020 median for today

0.1″ of water today against a median of 0.7″, 86% below median. The median peak is 25.8″ around April 17.

Nearby SNOTEL stations

All Colorado
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
SharkstoothCO · 7 mi10,730 ft0.2″200%1″0″
MancosCO · 8 mi10,020 ft0.0″—0″0″
Scotch CreekCO · 14 mi9,160 ft0.1″—0″0″
Cascade #2CO · 19 mi8,990 ft0.3″—0″—
Stump LakesCO · 22 mi11,230 ft0.5″83%0″−1″
Spud MountainCO · 22 mi10,660 ft0.2″—0″0″
El Diente PeakCO · 24 mi10,210 ft0.1″—0″0″
Lizard Head PassCO · 25 mi10,190 ft0.1″—0″0″

Station details

Elevation
10,780 ft
Location
37.4415°N, 108.0247°W
County
La Plata County, Colorado
Basin
Middle San Juan · HUC 14080105
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 904
Station ID
904:CO:SNTL · SHEF CMBC2
Reporting since
August 1994
NWS forecast office
Grand Junction (GJT) discussion

Questions

What is snow water equivalent (SWE)?

SWE is the depth of water you would get by melting the whole snowpack. Fresh powder is often 5 to 10% water; old spring snow can be 40% or more.

How often does Columbus Basin SNOTEL update?

The station reports every hour by radio telemetry to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. This page refreshes each hour. Readings are provisional until NRCS quality control.

What does “% of median” mean?

It compares today’s SWE with the 1991–2020 median for the same calendar day at this station. Above 100% means more water in the snowpack than on a typical year’s same date.

Where is Columbus Basin SNOTEL?

At 10,780 ft in La Plata County, Colorado (37.4415°N, 108.0247°W), in the Middle San Juan basin.

How is the snow forecast made?

Vertex runs the HRRR, RRFS and GFS weather models at the station’s own elevation and carries the measured snowpack forward hour by hour. Treat it as guidance, and check your avalanche center’s forecast before heading out.