From the “weather is not climate” department: All of the western states have snowpacks that are currently 110 to over 180 percent above normal with the exception of southern Colorado. This is unusual for most of the western states to be so far ahead on snowpack all at the same time rather than from one or two states.
And, according to the Squaw Valley Snow Tracker:
Squaw Valley has just reached over 700″ of total snow accumulation– something that has never happened in Squaw Valley’s recorded history.
Squaw Valley opened in 1949.
And in the context shown above, here’s a pertinent reminder of alarmism past:
“…there is no greater truth than global warming, with its threat of a shrinking snowpack…”
That is from this article in the San Francisco Chronicle in October of 2006.
(10-27-2006) 04:00 PDT Norden, Nevada County — For the ski industry, both in California and rest of the nation, there is no greater truth than global warming, with its threat of a shrinking snowpack and the point that Yogi Berra once made so succinctly: “The future ain’t what it used to be.”
…
If nothing is done to curb emissions, greenhouse gas emissions could raise Sierra temperatures another 5 or 6 degrees by the end of the 21st century, according to some projections. The snowpack could be reduced by 89 percent.
Sources:
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/support/water/westwide/snowpack/wy2011/snow1105.gif
http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/cgibin/ms.pl
h/t to reader “MM”
UPDATE: Reader Kelly Morris brings this snow water equivalent map to our attention:
LKMiller says:
May 18, 2011 at 6:14 am
“On Monday, May 16, Baker City, Oregon, received 4 inches of snow. The elevation of Baker City is 3451 feet. I have a forestry project in the Grande Ronde Valley, just to the northwest of Baker City at 2800 feet that is a month behind schedule because of wet, cold conditions.”
Agreed. got a Forester friend who is trying deal with a similar problem in the Mt. Emily area. Also, a Microwave Tech I know can’t even get to several towers in the Blue Mountains -even with a Snow cat….
[snip . . sorry OT . . please repost to Tips & Notes . . thanks . . kb]
Curious to see the results at Lakes Powell and Mead.
Don Penim: We need to archive all these papers, they are invaluable for future reference. Basically completely demolishes AGW arguments.
Jay Curtis says:
May 18, 2011 at 7:33 am
It is interesting that your journalist friend should appear to attribute any “bad weather” immediately to global climate change. This is perhaps due to the message – “all bad weather is a result of climate change” – that our climate science friends have been cultivating over the past three decades (despite paying lip service to “weather is not climate”), and, of course, echoed by the left-wing environmental groups.
That reminds me – the official start to hurricane season is only two week away. If we happen to have an active season, you can bet the climate alarmists will be out in force (just like they were for the recent tornado outbreak). That is why I will for the foreseeable future stay entirely away from the “WeatherUnderground” website – while their hurricane info is generally good, Jeff Masters’ climate alarmism is just too much for me…
I’m goin’ to Lassen (sung to the tune of “Jackson,” by Johnny and June Carter Cash)
We goin’ boardin’ at Lassen, go ahead a give a shout!
We’ll be boardin’ at Lassen, til the ranger throws us out!
We’re goin’ to Lassen, we’re going to surf that snow!
We’re goin’ to Lassen, that’s allllll she wrote!
So the conclusion is: Global Warming is going to cause less snowfall, except when it causes more snowfall. ;-))
@Shevva #2
May 18, 2011 at 5:56 am
Also makes them easier to move 😉
I’m wondering if there is any relationship between the increased snow pack and cooler weather in the US.
Since this “snow pack is well above normal” that would suggest that a data set exists somewhere allowing such statements to be made, and that one could look to see if there is an anticorrelation between e.g. mean spring weather in the US and snowpack levels.
The CAGW crowd seem to be very quiet about tis snowpack, am I correct? Now if next year lets says this snow pack drops below normal and temperatures above normal, can you imagine the din.
I live at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, just west of Kings Canyon National Park, And Squaw Valley We have a panoramic view of the mountains from here that can take your breath away.
For what it’s worth, I have never seen so much snow up there. I’ve heard it said that heavier snow fall in the higher elevations is a natural consequence of ‘global warming’.
Ok, I can have that. We live on a water planet. The water isn’t going to go away. Increased convection, and precipitation, makes sense. But with a few more winters like this one, and we’ll start seeing snowpacks so deep that they don’t melt completely before the next year’s snows begin to fall.
I wonder if the ‘warmists’ can tell us when to expect the tipping point where we’ve “warmed up” into another ice age.
Meanwhile on a day that should already be in the triple digits, it’s still too chilly to let the kids go out without a sweater.
Never mind I note the forecasts in the UK are “hottest day for 350 years ” pronouncements. Seem they have a short memory for the second coldest winter since records began in 1659 last year and a coldy the year before. Goebbels would be proud of those whoever made these recent “unprecendented hot” announcements.
As noted, a real drastic change in precip around Pueblo, Sangre De Cristos are hurting.
“Squaw Valley has just reached over 700″ of total snow accumulation”
That’s a nice start on a glacier.
For anyone who had ever been to Vancouver and looked up at the Ski Resort visible from downtown . . Grouse Mountain has just announced that they will stay open all June and close on the Canada Day long weekend – July 1st.
Latest closing ever and they are closing because they think there will be too few skiers left despite the snow the think will still be there.
Anthony, I’m not sure if you’re moving forward with the Climate FAIL files, but the 2006 statement above in the SF Chronicle sure seems like a candidate . . .
After “adjustment”, I am sure it will be realized that the snow level was actually 70″ and that it was the second warmest year ever.
“Layne Blanchard says:
May 18, 2011 at 8:00 am
Curious to see the results at Lakes Powell and Mead.”
– Forcasts are that Powell will raise about 60′-70′ (15′-25′ from full). They would be able to fill except that the amount they are required to spill this year has been increased due to increased snowpack. Predictions are that Mead will raise by about 30′ (leaving it 90′ or so short of full, still much better than it was). Of course, these numbers have been trending up as the snows keeps falling.
As far as records go, I am sure many resorts have hit the record besides Mt. Bachelor, OR. Mammoth Mt., CA, Loveland, CO, Snowbird, UT are a couple I am aware of.
The average CO2 measured at Mauna Loa in 2005 was 379ppm, and in the first months of 2011 it’s been just over 390.
The increase of CO2 by 11ppm has caused this increase in snow. Presuming, of course, a direct cause and effect. If CO2 increases more, and we get less snow next year, my theory will be proven correct, that increases in CO2 atmospheric concentrations result in more snow or less snow, independent of natural cycles such as the PDO.
It’s raining and cold outside my Sacramento County classroom as I type this–highly unusual for mid may–Today’s graduation and I’ve never had to wear a sweater under my academic robes before. 🙂
The latest historical snow fall in the Salt Lake valley (UT) is May 18. I live at about 5,000ft and we had snow yesterday around noon. Didn’t stick around long but it snowed. Snowbird ski resort reports 14″ new snow in the last 24 hours, updated at 8:20am. today.
Mt Hood Ski Meadows just closed but with a snowpack of 52 feet. And this is just located east of Portland, Oregon. Ski Meadows is one of the lower elevation ski resort on Mt. Hood, too.
http://www.skihood.com/The-Mountain/Conditions
Govt Camp just outside of Ski Meadows.
http://167.131.0.179/Pages/CCview.asp?Num=1&cam1=624
The plowing continues on “Going-to-the-Sun Road” in Glacier. Only 20.6 mile of 50 miles done. Photos available at Glacier Park web site.
As a side note heard this morning on the news that more baseball games have been postponed for cold/rain so far this year than all of last year.
More snow for the mountains of California on the way:
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Another late-season storm heads for California
……..with up to 2 feet of snow expected in the southern Sierra Nevada…..
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Another-late-season-storm-heads-for-California-1383191.php
Fred from Canuckistan says:
May 18, 2011 at 8:48 am
For anyone who had ever been to Vancouver and looked up at the Ski Resort visible from downtown . . Grouse Mountain has just announced that they will stay open all June and close on the Canada Day long weekend – July 1st.
Latest closing ever and they are closing because they think there will be too few skiers left despite the snow the think will still be there.
Didn’t Obama mumble something incoherent about CAGW, in relation to the 2010 Olympics, as being ‘the cause’ of sparse snow during the games?