Black Bear SNOTEL

8,160 ftGallatin County, MontanaNRCS site 347Updated Fri Oct 16, 4:00 AM MDT

SWE0.1″8% of median
Depth0″0″ 48 h
Temp27°23°–46° 48 h
Thu 15Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature27°F now20°40°32°27°FNow · Fri 4 AM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature27°F now20°40°32°27°FNow · Fri 4 AM
Sat 10Sun 11Mon 12Tue 13Wed 14Thu 15Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature27°F now50°32°27°FNow · Fri 4 AM
SatSunMonTueWedThuPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature27°F now50°32°27°FNow · Fri 4 AM
0″20″40″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 41.4″ · Apr 290.1″ today · 8% of median
0″20″40″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 41.4″ · Apr 290.1″ today · 8% 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

8%of the 1991–2020 median for today

0.1″ of water today against a median of 1.2″, 92% below median. The median peak is 41.4″ around April 29.

Nearby SNOTEL stations

All Montana
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Madison PlateauMT · 5 mi7,710 ft0.1″33%0″0″
Whiskey CreekMT · 7 mi6,790 ft0.0″—0″0″
West YellowstoneMT · 11 mi6,680 ft0.0″—0″0″
White ElephantID · 14 mi7,670 ft0.0″—1″−1″
Island ParkID · 14 mi6,300 ft0.0″—0″0″
Thumb DivideWY · 29 mi7,970 ft0.0″—0″—
Grassy LakeWY · 30 mi7,330 ft0.0″—0″0″
Lewis Lake DivideWY · 31 mi7,880 ft0.0″—0″0″

Station details

Elevation
8,160 ft
Location
44.5083°N, 111.1280°W
County
Gallatin County, Montana
Basin
Madison · HUC 10020007
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 347
Station ID
347:MT:SNTL · SHEF BLBM8
Reporting since
October 1967
NWS forecast office
Pocatello (PIH) 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 Black Bear 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 Black Bear SNOTEL?

At 8,160 ft in Gallatin County, Montana (44.5083°N, 111.1280°W), in the Madison 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.