While there is still not enough snow to ski Park County slopes, there has been some improvement in needed precipitation in area basins. The state’s current snow/water equivalent is at 82% of median with a basin high of 106% and a basin low of 26%. Last year on this date the state was at 117%, as measured by SNOTELS.

SNOTEL stands for SNOwpack TELemetry, according to the Wyoming State Engineer’s Office, which is a fancy name for a remote backcountry weather station that measures snow and transmits the data wirelessly. They provide a reliable, cost effective way to collect snowpack and other meteorological data needed to produce water supply forecasts and support the resource management activities of National Resources Conservation Service and other governmental organizations.

The Yellowstone basin is at 64%, down from 97% this time last year. The Wind River basin is at 88%, down from 121% a year ago.

The Big Horn basin is at 79%, down 15% from last year. The Shoshone basin is at 78%, down from 90% on this date last year.

The state high is the Upper Bear basin at 106%, which is also down significantly from last year when it hit 148% a year ago. The state low is the South Platte basin with 26%, however it is up significantly from last year at this time when it recorded 12%.

The statewide SNOTEL percent is a percent of median using all SNOTEL sites in Wyoming with calculated medians. The weighted state average is figured using the area of basins (square miles). The reference period for computing medians is the 30-year period 1981 through 2010.