Independence Creek SNOTEL

6,440 ftSierra County, CaliforniaNRCS site 540Updated Fri Oct 16, 3:00 AM PDT

SWE0.1″no median
Depth0″0″ 48 h
Temp33°22°–64° 48 h
Thu 15Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature33°F now50°32°33°FNow · Fri 3 AM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature33°F now50°32°33°FNow · Fri 3 AM
Sat 10Sun 11Mon 12Tue 13Wed 14Thu 15Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature33°F now50°32°33°FNow · Fri 3 AM
SatSunMonTueWedPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature33°F now50°32°33°FNow · Fri 3 AM
0″5″10″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 14.2″ · Mar 220.1″ today
0″5″10″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 14.2″ · Mar 220.1″ today
<50%50–6970–8990–109110–129130–149150%+
0″2″8″16″32″+
0″6″24″48″100″+
Map
Open in the Vertex map

Next 3 days

The forecast for this station is on its way.

16-day outlook, three models

Snowpack vs. median

—%of the 1991–2020 median for today

Nearby SNOTEL stations

All California
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Independence CampCA · 3 mi6,970 ft0.0″—0″0″
Independence LakeCA · 5 mi8,340 ft0.0″—0″—
CSS LabCA · 12 mi6,890 ft0.0″—0″0″
Truckee #2CA · 14 mi6,500 ft0.4″—0″0″
Big MeadowNV · 18 mi8,240 ft0.1″—0″0″
Palisades TahoeCA · 21 mi8,010 ft0.5″—0″0″
Tahoe City CrossCA · 23 mi6,760 ft0.0″—0″0″
Mount Rose Ski AreaNV · 24 mi8,810 ft0.1″—0″0″

Station details

Elevation
6,440 ft
Location
39.4900°N, 120.2823°W
County
Sierra County, California
Basin
Truckee · HUC 16050102
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 540
Station ID
540:CA:SNTL · SHEF ICKC1
Reporting since
October 1980
NWS forecast office
Reno (REV) discussion

Questions

What is snow water equivalent (SWE)?

SWE is the depth of water you would get by melting the whole snowpack. Fresh powder is often 5 to 10% water; old spring snow can be 40% or more.

How often does Independence Creek SNOTEL update?

The station reports every hour by radio telemetry to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. This page refreshes each hour. Readings are provisional until NRCS quality control.

What does “% of median” mean?

It compares today’s SWE with the 1991–2020 median for the same calendar day at this station. Above 100% means more water in the snowpack than on a typical year’s same date.

Where is Independence Creek SNOTEL?

At 6,440 ft in Sierra County, California (39.4900°N, 120.2823°W), in the Truckee basin.

How is the snow forecast made?

Vertex runs the HRRR, RRFS and GFS weather models at the station’s own elevation and carries the measured snowpack forward hour by hour. Treat it as guidance, and check your avalanche center’s forecast before heading out.