These are desperate times in the natural snow department. I supposed it could be worse. Alta has had 105" of snow so far this year and has a base depth of 37", but these are meager numbers for mid December. Snowpack water equivalent is the best measure of the robustness of the snowpack and we are well below median for that metric at most high-altitude observing sites in the Wasatch including 50% of median at Snowbird, 56% at Brighton, and 43% at Thaynes Canyon. Somehow, Mill D North sits at 104% of median. Good for them, but that's still only 5.7" of water.
The snowguns continue to blaze, but this is Utah, home of the so-called Greatest Snow on Earth. Is there hope of a Christmas Miracle?
The truth is that the ensembles are not giving us much love. Last night's Utah Snow Ensemble came in with most members under 0.5" of water at Alta-Collins for tomorrow's storm.
A look towards Christmas shows that there are some members giving us the goods, but there are 82 members in the ensemble, and the reality is that half of them are producing 0.5" of water and 6" of snow or less. That's the glass half empty perspective. The glass half full perspective is that the half of them are producing more than 0.5" of water and 6" of snow. If you are an eternal optimist, the wettest 8 members produce 1.33" or more of water and 17.4" or more of snow, which would do wonders.
The odds are low, but this is the holiday season. Maybe we can get a Christmas Miracle. Surely you believe in Santa Claus?
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