Snowy Range Records Exceptional December Snow, Water Supply Boosted
A powerful cold pattern the weekend of December 8 produced enormous mountain snowfall in the Snowy Range, with high elevation monitoring stations reporting roughly 65 to 75 inches or more over about 40 hours while Centennial received about a foot to a foot and a half in town. The surge raised mountain snowpack by more than 30 percent, improving prospects for southern Wyoming water supplies even as the plains remained largely dry.
A fast moving but intense cold pattern delivered extraordinary mountain totals to Albany County over the weekend of December 8. Monitoring stations on the higher slopes of the Snowy Range registered roughly 65 to 75 inches or more of snow in about a 40 hour period. By contrast, low elevation communities saw much smaller accumulations, with Centennial recording approximately one to one and a half feet in town.
Meteorologist Don Day assessed that the heavy wet snow increased mountain snowpack by more than 30 percent over several days, a significant boost for the water yield that feeds reservoirs and summer streamflows in southern Wyoming. That increase matters to municipal water managers, irrigators, and recreation operators who rely on seasonal snowpack as the region s principal natural reservoir.
The disparity between mountaintop and valley totals reflected several meteorological and physical factors. Wet, heavy snow yields a lower snow to liquid ratio, meaning each inch of snow contains more water than the fluffy snow seen with very cold temperatures. Wind direction and storm track drove upslope enhancement on windward aspects, piling snow on ridgelines while leaving lee slopes and lowlands comparatively dry. Local temperature profiles also limited accumulation at lower elevations where melting and sublimation reduced net totals.
Seasonal context underscores the importance of this event. Early December storms typically contribute to establishing the winter snowpack, but the magnitude of this weekend s mountain totals exceeded expectations for this time of year, providing an early and measurable improvement in basinwide water storage. For plains communities the limited snowfall offers little immediate relief for ranchers or county road crews that depend on low elevation snow for short term moisture and winter travel conditions.
Looking ahead, additional cold storms tracking over the region could further amplify mountain totals while leaving the plains underproduced if moisture remains concentrated over high terrain. Residents and local officials should monitor updated snowpack measurements and water supply forecasts as the winter progresses, because how snow accumulates and how quickly it melts will shape spring runoff, reservoir refill, and water management decisions across Albany County.
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