IT'S BEEN ALL SNOW SINCE 11/2 *EXCEPT ONE DAY OF RAIN. HAS BEEN NO "JANUARY THAW" THIS YEAR. TREES WERE STILL FOLIATED WHEN ICE STORM HIT AND ARE STILL COVERED, BUT WITH MORE LAYERS OF SNOW IN PLACES. (HIGWAY209-KEARNEY) STILL 2.83" OF STORED WATER CONTENT IN A 10" (9.6" - 11.0") NEW/OLD SNOW BASE. AND ALOT MORE COMING. THE SWAN RIVER HAS NOT LOWERED THIS YEAR (IT IS THE STATES LONGEST UN-DAMMED RIVER) LIKE IT NORMALLY DOES FOR WINTER, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THAT RUNOFF IS COMING FROM. YET DAILY PRECIP AMMOUNTS NOT AS GREAT NOW AS NOV/DEC JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP SNOWPACK NEARLY AT SUBLIMATE LEVELS. THE FLATHEAD LAKE IS ALSO HIGHER THAN USUAL, BUT THAT IS CONTROLLED BY DAM. THE DOCK AT WOLF BAY IS HALFWAY INTO WATER. (POLSON/HUNGRY HORSE) F.A.C. HAD REPORTED 6' OF SNOWPACK UPTOP SWAN RANGE NEARBY WITH ALMOST 33% STORED WATER CONTENT (19") BACK IN THE FIRST WEEK OF JAN.
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