Upper Rio Grande SNOTEL

9,370 ftHinsdale County, ColoradoNRCS site 839Updated Thu Oct 22, 7:00 PM MDT

SWE0.2″no median
Depth0″0″ 48 h
Temp39°29°–40° 48 h
Thu 22Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.2″ now-0.500.50.2″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature39°F now30°40°32°39°FNow · Thu 7 PM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.2″ now-0.500.50.2″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature39°F now30°40°32°39°FNow · Thu 7 PM
Sat 17Sun 18Mon 19Tue 20Wed 21Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.2″ now-0.500.50.2″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature39°F now25°50°32°39°FNow · Thu 7 PM
SatSunMonTueWedPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.2″ now-0.500.50.2″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature39°F now25°50°32°39°FNow · Thu 7 PM
0″2″4″6″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 6.6″ · Mar 180.2″ today
0″2.5″5″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 6.6″ · Mar 180.2″ 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
Wager GulchCO · 13 mi11,110 ft0.6″—0″0″
BeartownCO · 14 mi11,580 ft4.3″2150%10″+3″
Middle CreekCO · 14 mi11,260 ft2.2″440%3″−1″
Weminuche CreekCO · 14 mi10,730 ft0.1″—1″+1″
SlumgullionCO · 19 mi11,560 ft2.3″287%6″+3″
Rat CreekCO · 21 mi11,680 ft2.9″—6″+4″
VallecitoCO · 21 mi10,740 ft0.2″—2″+1″
Molas LakeCO · 24 mi10,610 ft0.2″—0″0″

Station details

Elevation
9,370 ft
Location
37.7217°N, 107.2597°W
County
Hinsdale County, Colorado
Basin
Rio Grande Headwaters · HUC 13010001
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 839
Station ID
839:CO:SNTL · SHEF URGC2
Reporting since
October 1985
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 Upper Rio Grande 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 Upper Rio Grande SNOTEL?

At 9,370 ft in Hinsdale County, Colorado (37.7217°N, 107.2597°W), in the Rio Grande Headwaters 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.