Big Meadow SNOTEL

8,240 ftWashoe County, NevadaNRCS site 340Updated Fri Oct 16, 3:00 AM PDT

SWE0.1″no median
Depth0″0″ 48 h
Temp45°30°–54° 48 h
Thu 15Past 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature45°F now40°32°45°FNow · Fri 3 AM
ThuPast 48 hSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now-0.500.50″Air temperature45°F now40°32°45°FNow · Fri 3 AM
Sat 10Sun 11Mon 12Tue 13Wed 14Thu 15Past 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature45°F now50°32°45°FNow · Fri 3 AM
SatSunMonTueWedPast 7 daysSnow water equivalent0.1″ now-0.500.50.1″Snow depth0″ now00″Air temperature45°F now50°32°45°FNow · Fri 3 AM
0″10″20″OctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulMedian peak 21″ · Apr 10.1″ today
0″10″20″ONDJFMAMJJMedian peak 21″ · Apr 10.1″ 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 Nevada
StationElevationDepth, 7 daysSWE% medianDepth48 h
Mount Rose Ski AreaNV · 10 mi8,810 ft0.1″—0″0″
Little ValleyNV · 14 mi6,500 ft0.4″—0″0″
Truckee #2CA · 17 mi6,500 ft0.4″—0″0″
Independence CreekCA · 18 mi6,440 ft0.1″—0″0″
Independence CampCA · 19 mi6,970 ft0.0″—0″0″
Independence LakeCA · 20 mi8,340 ft0.0″—0″—
Marlette LakeNV · 20 mi7,860 ft0.2″—0″0″
Tahoe City CrossCA · 23 mi6,760 ft0.0″—0″0″

Station details

Elevation
8,240 ft
Location
39.4550°N, 119.9422°W
County
Washoe County, Nevada
Basin
Truckee · HUC 16050102
Network
NRCS SNOTEL · site 340
Station ID
340:NV:SNTL · SHEF BMWN2
Reporting since
October 1983
NWS forecast office
Reno (REV) 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 Big Meadow 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 Big Meadow SNOTEL?

At 8,240 ft in Washoe County, Nevada (39.4550°N, 119.9422°W), in the Truckee 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.