Idarado SNOTEL

9,780 ftOuray County, ColoradoNRCS site 538Updated Thu Oct 22, 7:00 PM MDT

SWE0.2″no median
Depth0″0″ 48 h
Temp33°33°–47° 48 h
Thu 22Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.2″ now-0.500.50.2″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature33°F now30°40°32°33°FNow · Thu 7 PM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.2″ now-0.500.50.2″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature33°F now30°40°32°33°FNow · Thu 7 PM
Sat 17Sun 18Mon 19Tue 20Wed 21Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.2″ now010.2″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature33°F now20°40°32°33°FNow · Thu 7 PM
SatSunMonTueWedPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.2″ now010.2″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature33°F now20°40°32°33°FNow · Thu 7 PM
0″5″10″15″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 14.4″ · Apr 60.2″ today
0″10″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 14.4″ · Apr 60.2″ today
<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

—%of the 1991–2020 median for today

Nearby SNOTEL stations

All Colorado
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Red Mountain PassCO · 4 mi11,060 ft2.5″625%5″+3″
Mineral CreekCO · 7 mi10,030 ft0.2″100%1″−1″
Alta LakesCO · 10 mi11,290 ft1.6″—4″−1″
Molas LakeCO · 13 mi10,610 ft0.2″—0″0″
Lizard Head PassCO · 17 mi10,190 ft0.1″—0″0″
Spud MountainCO · 17 mi10,660 ft0.2″—0″0″
Wager GulchCO · 17 mi11,110 ft0.6″—0″0″
BeartownCO · 18 mi11,580 ft4.3″2150%10″+3″

Station details

Elevation
9,780 ft
Location
37.9339°N, 107.6762°W
County
Ouray County, Colorado
Basin
Uncompahgre · HUC 14020006
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 538
Station ID
538:CO:SNTL · SHEF IDRC2
Reporting since
October 1979
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 Idarado 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 Idarado SNOTEL?

At 9,780 ft in Ouray County, Colorado (37.9339°N, 107.6762°W), in the Uncompahgre 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.