Snowpack is measured through a metric called snow water equivalent, which estimates the amount of water that would cover the ground if the snow cover was in a liquid state.
As of April 2, the snow water equivalent in Utah is 18.8 inches. Utah Snow Survey Supervisor Jordan Clayton said that’s about 30% above normal levels for this time of year.
“The last we had for the state of Utah back to back years this much above normal, was 2005 and 2006,” Clayton said. “So it’s really been a long time since we’ve seen a couple of winters in a row really boost the state’s water supply. And the last couple of months in particular have been really good. Both February and March gave us well above normal snowpack conditions… We’re not breaking records like last year, but we’re definitely enjoying another above normal snowpack season.”
The state snowpack typically peaks in early April. As temperatures warm and runoff season begins, Clayton said reservoirs statewide are in great shape.
“We’re looking at really encouraging forecasts particularly in northern Utah. The Weber Basin, the Bear River Basin, the Six Creeks area, those are all looking at above normal forecasts.”
With the reservoir system approaching maximum levels, Clayton said there’s a chance the Great Salt Lake could get a greater boost from the snowpack over time, especially if healthy precipitation continues in the coming years.
“A lot less of the water that’s coming off the mountains from our snowpack is going to need to be stored in those reservoirs that are upstream from the Great Salt Lake, so a larger proportion of that water can make it downstream," he said.
People can explore snowpack data going all the way back to 1981 on the Utah Division of Water Resources' website, which can be found here.
