Barker Lakes SNOTEL

8,250 ftDeer Lodge County, MontanaNRCS site 313Updated Fri Oct 16, 4:00 AM MDT

SWE0.6″86% of median
Depth5″−1″ 48 h
Temp30°23°–39° 48 h
Thu 15Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.6″ now0.510.6″Snow depth5″ now65″Air temperature30°F now20°40°32°30°FNow · Fri 4 AM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.6″ now0.510.6″Snow depth5″ now65″Air temperature30°F now20°40°32°30°FNow · Fri 4 AM
Sat 10Sun 11Mon 12Tue 13Wed 14Thu 15Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.6″ now010.6″Snow depth5″ now05″Air temperature30°F now50°32°30°FNow · Fri 4 AM
SatSunMonTueWedThuPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.6″ now010.6″Snow depth5″ now05″Air temperature30°F now50°32°30°FNow · Fri 4 AM
0″5″10″15″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 17.6″ · May 30.6″ today · 86% of median
0″10″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 17.6″ · May 30.6″ today · 86% 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

86%of the 1991–2020 median for today

0.6″ of water today against a median of 0.7″, 14% below median. The median peak is 17.6″ around May 3.

Nearby SNOTEL stations

All Montana
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Peterson MeadowsMT · 9 mi7,190 ft0.7″350%1″−1″
Warm SpringsMT · 12 mi7,840 ft0.3″38%3″−1″
Calvert CreekMT · 18 mi6,410 ft0.1″—0″−2″
Black PineMT · 26 mi7,170 ft1.1″—6″−2″
CombinationMT · 28 mi5,620 ft0.8″—2″−2″
Skalkaho SummitMT · 32 mi7,260 ft0.2″100%0″−2″
Daly CreekMT · 35 mi5,780 ft0.0″—1″0″
Basin CreekMT · 36 mi7,120 ft0.9″300%6″−1″

Station details

Elevation
8,250 ft
Location
46.0971°N, 113.1304°W
County
Deer Lodge County, Montana
Basin
Upper Clark Fork · HUC 17010201
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 313
Station ID
313:MT:SNTL · SHEF BRLM8
Reporting since
August 1977
NWS forecast office
Missoula (MSO) discussion

Questions

What is snow water equivalent (SWE)?

SWE is the depth of water you would get by melting the whole snowpack. Barker Lakes's 5″ of snow holds 0.6″ of water, so the pack is about 12% water. Fresh powder is often 5 to 10%; old spring snow can be 40% or more.

How often does Barker Lakes 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 Barker Lakes SNOTEL?

At 8,250 ft in Deer Lodge County, Montana (46.0971°N, 113.1304°W), in the Upper Clark Fork 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.