Porphyry Creek SNOTEL

10,790 ftGunnison County, ColoradoNRCS site 701Updated Thu Oct 22, 7:00 PM MDT

SWE0.2″50% of median
Depth1″0″ 48 h
Temp37°28°–47° 48 h
Thu 22Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.2″ now00.50.2″Snow depth1″ now021″Air temperature37°F now40°32°37°FNow · Thu 7 PM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.2″ now00.50.2″Snow depth1″ now021″Air temperature37°F now40°32°37°FNow · Thu 7 PM
Sat 17Sun 18Mon 19Tue 20Wed 21Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.2″ now-0.500.50.2″Snow depth1″ now021″Air temperature37°F now20°40°32°37°FNow · Thu 7 PM
SatSunMonTueWedPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.2″ now-0.500.50.2″Snow depth1″ now021″Air temperature37°F now20°40°32°37°FNow · Thu 7 PM
0″5″10″15″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 17″ · Apr 150.2″ today · 50% of median
0″10″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 17″ · Apr 150.2″ today · 50% 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

50%of the 1991–2020 median for today

0.2″ of water today against a median of 0.4″, 50% below median. The median peak is 17.0″ around April 15.

Nearby SNOTEL stations

All Colorado
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Sargents MesaCO · 14 mi11,490 ft0.0″0%0″0″
Saint ElmoCO · 15 mi10,420 ft0.3″75%0″−1″
Cochetopa PassCO · 27 mi10,020 ft0.4″—0″0″
Park ConeCO · 27 mi9,600 ft0.1″—0″0″
Hayden PassCO · 30 mi10,700 ft0.1″—1″0″
Moon PassCO · 38 mi11,110 ft0.0″0%0″0″
Rough And TumbleCO · 40 mi10,420 ft1.0″500%0″—
Upper TaylorCO · 41 mi10,710 ft0.4″—0″0″

Station details

Elevation
10,790 ft
Location
38.4886°N, 106.3397°W
County
Gunnison County, Colorado
Basin
Tomichi · HUC 14020003
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 701
Station ID
701:CO:SNTL · SHEF PRPC2
Reporting since
October 1978
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. Porphyry Creek's 1″ of snow holds 0.2″ of water, so the pack is about 20% water. Fresh powder is often 5 to 10%; old spring snow can be 40% or more.

How often does Porphyry Creek 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 Porphyry Creek SNOTEL?

At 10,790 ft in Gunnison County, Colorado (38.4886°N, 106.3397°W), in the Tomichi 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.