![]() ![]() ![]() Lower river flow, White said, “puts the entire aquatic ecosystem at risk.” The river’s health is also key to ongoing efforts to bring once-common anadromous fish like salmon back upriver to Spokane. “You’re not archiving that water as snow so that it’s running out as cold water in July,” said Spokane Riverkeeper Executive Director Jerry White Jr.Ī snowpack that starts small or melts too quickly can result in higher water flows in the winter and lower water levels in the spring and summer, an evolution that has numerous ecological, recreational and economic impacts.Īs an example, White points to the region’s iconic redband trout, which require cool shallow water in which to lay and hatch their eggs. That change will disrupt the delicate balance between mountain snow, the Spokane River and its tributaries. With warmer springs, snow that accumulated in the winter will more quickly melt. The consequence, the authors wrote, will be “cascading hydrologic changes to the water–energy balance” that “directly impacts water management.”Īs temperatures warm, climate models suggest that an increasing amount of precipitation will fall as rain instead of snow. A study published in the journal Nature Reviews Earth and Environment last October estimated that the snow water equivalent across the Western United States will decline by about 25% by 2050. “The idea is for that (snow) to melt slowly over the springtime so there is controlled flow feeding into our springs and river,” said Kara Odegard, the Spokane City Council’s manager of sustainability initiatives.īut that’s changing, and Spokane is not alone in facing this shift. The region’s ecosystem is set up, experts say, for a solid snowpack and a slow, steady drawdown into the summer. Spring and summer could see little precipitation or above-average temperatures that melt even a healthy snowpack too quickly.īecause when it comes to the snowpack, timing is everything. Snowfall numbers could fail to hold steady the rest of the winter, or temperatures could rise and bring rain, which would accelerate snowmelt. Still, it remains too early to count this winter as a win. The Spokane region entered Friday with a snow water equivalent – essentially the measure of snow if it all melted into water – nearly 20% higher than the median amount for this time of year over the past 30 years. The strong snowpack this year “should not be a signal to anybody that we’re out of the woods for good,” said Kat Hall, restoration program director with The Lands Council. So far this year, the region’s winter snowpack is above average – a cause for hope, certainly – but numerous variables could throw off what has been a productive season.Īnd even if this winter is a successful one, climate experts warn, the Inland Northwest is on track to see less snow and more rain as climate change unfolds, imparting an untold number of impacts on our environment. The Spokane River is fed from Lake Coeur d’Alene, which captures water trickling down from the mountains and hills to Spokane’s north and east. The two scenes are polar opposites, but innately connected, because today’s snowfall is tomorrow’s water.Ī healthy snowpack is one key factor in a healthy aquifer and river, which provide the region with recreation, water and power, according to local experts. Now, look outside at the blanket of snow that frustrated you once again on your daily commute last week. Our snow totals atlas has a list of cities in the United States to help you find the recent snowfall of any location in the country.Close your eyes and imagine the first warm weekend this year, when you dust off the paddleboard or kayak and float out onto the Spokane River. You can use your current location to quickly get a sense of the current snowfall in your area or you can search for any address or city to see the snowfall in that area. ![]() You can also view the snowfall forecast for the next two days, and see a map of the recent snowfall in your area. You can view the snow accumulation, snow depth, and snowfall for your recent winter storms as well as nearby snow reports from weather stations across the country. The data is updated throughout the day as station readings are reported, usually no more than once an hour. This site pulls data from multiple different sources of data from the National Weather Service and the National Weather Service NOHRSC to create the easiest way to find the most accurate snowfall data in your area. This site attempts to correct that by combining and simplifying data from the National Weather Service and the NOAA. Weather websites are very good at reporting how much snow is forecast for the next day or week, but often make it difficult to see what the actual snowfall was at the end of the storm. ![]()
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