◆ Average precipitation in November, but above average temperatures hurts snowpack.

Snowfall this week is a welcomed sight after an average November in Star Valley did little to build snowpack thanks to above average temperatures.

Following a dry winter last year that led to scarce water and low reservoirs across the west, many are hoping for above average snowfall this year to make up for last year’s losses.

According to local Meteorologist Jack Hales, Star Valley was one of the few places in Wyoming that received average or close to average precipitation totals last month. On his blog at Blog.StarValleyWeather.com, Hales reports that Smoot reported 2.02 inches of precip. Star Valley Ranch followed with 1.66 inches, Alpine reported 1.60, with 1.57 in Afton, 1.52 in Thayne and 1.22 in Bedford. Mountain locations totaled 3.40 in Cottonwood, 3.00 in Willow Creek 2.26 at Box Y and 1.60 at the Salt River Summit.

Current snow accumulations and depths in the higher elevations, as of the end of November, are 48 inches of snowfall and 11 inches of current accumulation at Blind Bull. Commissary Ridge reported 63 and 24 inches in November, with 9 inches of snowfall but 0 snow depth at Box Y.
Because of the above average temperatures, snowpacks were well below average once again heading into December. In fact, according to Hales, October was abnormally wet and snowy, but have done very little to build back snowpacks.