Arapaho Ridge SNOTEL

10,960 ftGrand County, ColoradoNRCS site 1030Updated Fri Oct 16, 4:00 AM MDT

SWE0.5″50% of median
Depth3″+3″ 48 h
Temp13°12°–40° 48 h
Thu 15Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.5″ now010.5″Snow depth3″ now053″Air temperature13°F now20°40°32°13°FNow · Fri 4 AM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.5″ now010.5″Snow depth3″ now053″Air temperature13°F now20°40°32°13°FNow · Fri 4 AM
Sat 10Sun 11Mon 12Tue 13Wed 14Thu 15Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.5″ now010.5″Snow depth3″ now053″Air temperature13°F now50°32°13°FNow · Fri 4 AM
SatSunMonTueWedThuPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.5″ now010.5″Snow depth3″ now053″Air temperature13°F now50°32°13°FNow · Fri 4 AM
0″10″20″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 25.2″ · May 10.5″ today · 50% of median
0″10″20″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 25.2″ · May 10.5″ today · 50% of median
<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

50%of the 1991–2020 median for today

0.5″ of water today against a median of 1.0″, 50% below median. The median peak is 25.2″ around May 1.

Nearby SNOTEL stations

All Colorado
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
ColumbineCO · 12 mi9,170 ft0.5″—0″0″
Buffalo ParkCO · 14 mi9,240 ft0.4″—0″0″
Willow Creek PassCO · 15 mi9,520 ft0.8″—1″+1″
Rabbit EarsCO · 19 mi9,390 ft0.4″—1″+1″
TowerCO · 20 mi10,610 ft0.6″150%4″+3″
Never SummerCO · 23 mi10,300 ft2.5″312%4″+2″
Lynx PassCO · 24 mi8,910 ft0.4″—0″—
Dry LakeCO · 25 mi8,240 ft0.1″—1″0″

Station details

Elevation
10,960 ft
Location
40.3510°N, 106.3814°W
County
Grand County, Colorado
Basin
Colorado Headwaters · HUC 14010001
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 1030
Station ID
1030:CO:SNTL · SHEF ARPC2
Reporting since
August 2002
NWS forecast office
Denver/Boulder (BOU) discussion

Questions

What is snow water equivalent (SWE)?

SWE is the depth of water you would get by melting the whole snowpack. Arapaho Ridge's 3″ of snow holds 0.5″ of water, so the pack is about 17% water. Fresh powder is often 5 to 10%; old spring snow can be 40% or more.

How often does Arapaho Ridge 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 Arapaho Ridge SNOTEL?

At 10,960 ft in Grand County, Colorado (40.3510°N, 106.3814°W), in the Colorado Headwaters 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.