BSD SnowSchool: Snowpack Prediction Contest 2019-20
Can your classroom accurately predict the amount of snow that we will have in the mountains around Idaho City this year? How about the snow/water equivalent? Send SnowSchool your prediction and you could win a prize for your group! The closest group wins the prize!! Winners will be announced in the spring.
Elementary School Classes: Specifically, SnowSchool wants to know your prediction for the greatest snow depth measurement and the greatest snow/water equivalent measurement at Mores Creek Summit during the course of the entire winter. One prediction (snow and water) per group please (this should be two numbers both in inches). Example: Prediction for Ms. Smith’s Class (Group A)- 50 inch snow depth, 14.1 inch snow/water equivalent. Enter your prediction below.
Middle/High School Classes: You have challenges, including entering your prediction for the amount of snow/water equivalent on April 1st and your prediction for the first day of the spring that the SNOTEL site will read “0” (AKA melt completely). Enter you prediction below. Hints: Check out the historical graphs below. To see the history of snowpack levels on April 1st click here.
Example: Prediction for Ms. Smith’s Class (Group A)- 50 inch snow depth, 14.1 inch snow/water equivalent
Once you make your prediction your class/group name will be added to this page below and you will be able to track and compare your prediction to the live snowpack graph as it grows (or melts) each week of the winter!
The above graph is updated every hour from the Mores Creek SNOTEL station. Click here to view a full page image of the graph.
Elementary Grades Contest predictions will be posted below. Click this link to submit a prediction.
Middle/High School Classes Enter Your Prediction By Clicking HERE: You have challenges, including entering your prediction for the amount of snow/water equivalent on April 1st and your prediction for the first day of the spring that the SNOTEL site will read “0” (AKA melt completely). Hint: To see the history of snowpack levels on April 1st click here.
To view the webpage for the Mores Creek SNOTEL station click the picture of the station below:
View the interactive map of SNOTEL stations in the mountains of Idaho:
Want to learn more about SNOTEL and the connection between mountain snow and water?
HISTORICAL SNOWPACK DATA: Its important to keep track of snow, how much of it there is in the mountains because mountain snow is our source of water in Idaho. If we have less snow than normal, we could have less water available for people to use. In making your prediction you will want to look at what happened in previous years (see graphs below), how much snow and snow/water equivalent we have on the ground right now (above graph), any data you collected during your SnowSchool field trip, and historical/forecasted weather. To help with your predictions we’ve compiled nearly 20 years of snowpack data below-
Last 4 winters
All available snowpack data starting in 1981
All data collected from the Mores Creek SNOTEL Station Click to link to view additional years.