Chicago Ridge SNOTEL

5,700 ftSanders County, MontanaNRCS site 1312Updated Thu Oct 22, 7:00 PM MDT

SWE0.1″no median
Depth0″0″ 48 h
Temp47°41°–59° 48 h
Thu 22Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature47°F now40°60°32°47°FNow · Thu 7 PM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature47°F now40°60°32°47°FNow · Thu 7 PM
Sat 17Sun 18Mon 19Tue 20Wed 21Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature47°F now40°60°32°47°FNow · Thu 7 PM
SatSunMonTueWedPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature47°F now40°60°32°47°FNow · Thu 7 PM
0″0.5″1″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJul0.1″ today
0″0.5″1″ONDJFMAMJJ0.1″ 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 Montana
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Poorman CreekMT · 6 mi5,050 ft0.2″—0″0″
Bear MountainID · 24 mi5,460 ft0.1″50%0″0″
Mosquito RidgeID · 25 mi5,270 ft0.1″—0″0″
SunsetID · 36 mi5,570 ft0.1″—0″−1″
Humboldt GulchID · 37 mi4,260 ft——2″+1″
Banfield MountainMT · 37 mi5,580 ft0.0″—0″0″
LookoutID · 42 mi5,180 ft0.1″—0″0″
Hand CreekMT · 43 mi5,030 ft0.1″—0″0″

Station details

Elevation
5,700 ft
Location
48.0622°N, 115.6975°W
County
Sanders County, Montana
Basin
Lower Clark Fork · HUC 17010213
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 1312
Station ID
1312:MT:SNTL · SHEF CHIM8
Reporting since
August 2022
NWS forecast office
Missoula (MSO) 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 Chicago Ridge 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 Chicago Ridge SNOTEL?

At 5,700 ft in Sanders County, Montana (48.0622°N, 115.6975°W), in the Lower Clark Fork 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.