Vacas Locas SNOTEL

9,350 ftRio Arriba County, New MexicoNRCS site 1017Updated Fri Oct 16, 4:00 AM MDT

SWE0.3″no median
Depth0″0″ 48 h
Temp36°28°–50° 48 h
Thu 15Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.3″ now00.50.3″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature36°F now40°32°36°FNow · Fri 4 AM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.3″ now00.50.3″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature36°F now40°32°36°FNow · Fri 4 AM
Sat 10Sun 11Mon 12Tue 13Wed 14Thu 15Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.3″ now-0.500.50.3″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature36°F now25°50°32°36°FNow · Fri 4 AM
SatSunMonTueWedThuPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.3″ now-0.500.50.3″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature36°F now25°50°32°36°FNow · Fri 4 AM
0″5″10″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 10.4″ · Mar 60.3″ today
0″5″10″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 10.4″ · Mar 60.3″ 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 New Mexico
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Senorita Divide #2NM · 2 mi8,560 ft0.0″—0″0″
Garita PeakNM · 15 mi10,100 ft0.0″—0″0″
QuemazonNM · 25 mi9,500 ft0.0″—0″−1″
BatemanNM · 44 mi9,230 ft0.1″—0″0″
HopewellNM · 57 mi10,080 ft0.0″—0″0″
Santa FeNM · 60 mi11,480 ft0.1″—0″0″
Elk CabinNM · 61 mi8,220 ft0.0″—0″−1″
ChamitaNM · 65 mi8,360 ft——0″0″

Station details

Elevation
9,350 ft
Location
36.0265°N, 106.8136°W
County
Rio Arriba County, New Mexico
Basin
Jemez · HUC 13020202
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 1017
Station ID
1017:NM:SNTL · SHEF VACN5
Reporting since
October 2001
NWS forecast office
Albuquerque (ABQ) 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 Vacas Locas 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 Vacas Locas SNOTEL?

At 9,350 ft in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico (36.0265°N, 106.8136°W), in the Jemez 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.