Saddle Mountain SNOTEL

7,890 ftBeaverhead County, MontanaNRCS site 727Updated Fri Oct 16, 4:00 AM MDT

SWE1.1″550% of median
Depth5″−2″ 48 h
Temp37°26°–44° 48 h
Thu 15Past 48 hSnow water equivalent1.1″ now0.511.51.1″Snow depth5″ now65″Air temperature37°F now40°32°37°FNow · Fri 4 AM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent1.1″ now0.511.51.1″Snow depth5″ now65″Air temperature37°F now40°32°37°FNow · Fri 4 AM
Sat 10Sun 11Mon 12Tue 13Wed 14Thu 15Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent1.1″ now011.1″Snow depth5″ now0105″Air temperature37°F now50°32°37°FNow · Fri 4 AM
SatSunMonTueWedThuPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent1.1″ now011.1″Snow depth5″ now0105″Air temperature37°F now50°32°37°FNow · Fri 4 AM
0″10″20″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 25.6″ · Apr 241.1″ today · 550% of median
0″10″20″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 25.6″ · Apr 241.1″ today · 550% 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

550%of the 1991–2020 median for today

1.1″ of water today against a median of 0.2″, 450% above median. The median peak is 25.6″ around April 24.

Nearby SNOTEL stations

All Montana
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Moose CreekID · 2 mi6,170 ft0.4″—1″−3″
Nez Perce CampMT · 25 mi5,670 ft0.0″—0″0″
Slagamelt LakesMT · 26 mi8,600 ft0.5″—1″−1″
Calvert CreekMT · 34 mi6,410 ft0.1″—0″−2″
Daly CreekMT · 34 mi5,780 ft0.0″—1″0″
Twelvemile CreekMT · 39 mi5,530 ft0.0″—0″0″
Perreau MeadowsID · 39 mi8,580 ft0.0″—0″0″
Skalkaho SummitMT · 39 mi7,260 ft0.2″100%0″−2″

Station details

Elevation
7,890 ft
Location
45.6926°N, 113.9683°W
County
Beaverhead County, Montana
Basin
Bitterroot · HUC 17010205
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 727
Station ID
727:MT:SNTL · SHEF SDMM8
Reporting since
October 1967
NRCS name
Saddle Mtn.
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. Saddle Mountain's 5″ of snow holds 1.1″ of water, so the pack is about 22% water. Fresh powder is often 5 to 10%; old spring snow can be 40% or more.

How often does Saddle Mountain 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 Saddle Mountain SNOTEL?

At 7,890 ft in Beaverhead County, Montana (45.6926°N, 113.9683°W), in the Bitterroot 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.