Upper Colorado snowpack › Colorado Headwaters
Colorado Headwaters basin snowpack
30 SNOTEL stations in the Colorado Headwaters subregion of the Upper Colorado River Basin. As of Oct 29, 2026, day 29 of water year 2027.
Snow water equivalent
46%
of the 1991–2020 median for this date · 37% of average
Basin-average SWE
0.36 in
median 0.78 in · average 0.97 in
Water-year precipitation
91%
of average since Oct 1 · 2.07 in vs. 2.28 in
Toward the normal peak
2%
of the average peak, 16.03 in around Apr 6
Stations reporting
30 of 30
average elevation 10,089 ft
This water year against the normals
Water year 2027Water year 20261991–2020 median1991–2020 average
Every station in the basin
| Station | Elev (ft) | SWE | Median | % med | Avg | % avg | Precip | % avg | Normal peak | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arapaho Ridge CO | 10,960 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 27% | 2.3 | 30% | 3.1 | 94% | 23.6 · Apr 26 | 2026-10-29 |
| Beaver Ck Village CO | 8,530 | 0 | 0 | — | 0.3 | 0% | 1.3 | 62% | 10.7 · Mar 25 | 2026-10-29 |
| Berthoud Summit CO | 11,300 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 20% | 0.9 | 11% | 1 | 37% | 21.2 · Apr 25 | 2026-10-29 |
| Bison Lake CO | 10,950 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 117% | 1.7 | 124% | 6.4 | 207% | 27 · Apr 26 | 2026-10-29 |
| Buffalo Park CO | 9,240 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 80% | 0.8 | 50% | 1.2 | 60% | 14 · Apr 3 | 2026-10-29 |
| Castle Peak CO | 11,510 | 1.2 | — | — | — | — | 4.7 | — | — · Oct 1 | 2026-10-29 |
| Chapman Tunnel CO | 10,090 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 9% | 1 | 10% | 1.7 | 74% | 14 · Apr 4 | 2026-10-29 |
| Copper Mountain CO | 10,500 | 0 | 0.6 | 0% | 0.8 | 0% | 0.9 | 47% | 16.1 · Apr 23 | 2026-10-29 |
| Elliot Ridge CO | 10,550 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 13% | 1.1 | 9% | 1.5 | — | 20.1 · Apr 23 | 2026-10-29 |
| Fool Creek CO | 11,130 | 0.6 | — | — | — | — | 1.1 | — | — · Oct 1 | 2026-10-29 |
| Fremont Pass CO | 11,310 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 21% | 1.5 | 20% | 1.7 | 85% | 19.9 · May 2 | 2026-10-29 |
| Grizzly Peak CO | 11,110 | 0.1 | 1 | 10% | 1.3 | 8% | 1.2 | 60% | 17.8 · Apr 16 | 2026-10-29 |
| High Lonesome CO | 10,630 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0.8 | — | — · Oct 1 | 2026-10-29 |
| Independence Pass CO | 10,570 | 1 | 1 | 100% | 1 | 100% | 2.5 | 114% | 16.7 · Apr 10 | 2026-10-29 |
| Ivanhoe CO | 10,540 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 46% | 1.2 | 42% | 2 | 80% | 16.6 · Apr 25 | 2026-10-29 |
| Jones Pass CO | 10,430 | 0 | 0.8 | 0% | 1 | 0% | 1.2 | 46% | 16.2 · Apr 24 | 2026-10-29 |
| Kiln CO | 9,610 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 67% | 0.6 | 33% | 1.3 | 72% | 12.1 · Mar 29 | 2026-10-29 |
| Lake Irene CO | 10,680 | 0 | 1.2 | 0% | 1.4 | 0% | 1.2 | 46% | 24.6 · Apr 24 | 2026-10-29 |
| Lynx Pass CO | 8,910 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 133% | 0.4 | 100% | 1.5 | 94% | 11 · Mar 26 | 2026-10-29 |
| Mccoy Park CO | 9,500 | 0 | 0 | — | 0.4 | 0% | 1.5 | 56% | 12.9 · Mar 29 | 2026-10-29 |
| Mesa Lakes CO | 10,160 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 38% | 1.1 | 27% | 8.2 | 283% | 17.8 · Apr 15 | 2026-10-29 |
| Middle Fork Camp CO | 8,960 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 50% | 0.5 | 20% | 0.6 | 29% | 10.5 · Mar 24 | 2026-10-29 |
| Nast Lake CO | 8,710 | 0 | 0 | — | 0.1 | 0% | 0.8 | 53% | 8.2 · Mar 13 | 2026-10-29 |
| North Lost Trail CO | 9,190 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 100% | 0.6 | 33% | 4.1 | 152% | 16.8 · Mar 29 | 2026-10-29 |
| Phantom Valley CO | 9,030 | 0.1 | 0 | — | 0.3 | 33% | 1 | 56% | 9.5 · Mar 17 | 2026-10-29 |
| Schofield Pass CO | 10,640 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 84% | 1.9 | 84% | 5.5 | 162% | 35.1 · Apr 13 | 2026-10-29 |
| Stillwater Creek CO | 8,760 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0.5 | 42% | — · Oct 1 | 2026-10-29 |
| Summit Ranch CO | 9,350 | 0.1 | 0 | — | 0.4 | 25% | 0.8 | 47% | 11.2 · Apr 2 | 2026-10-29 |
| Vail Mountain CO | 10,290 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 38% | 1.2 | 25% | 1.2 | 48% | 20.6 · Apr 25 | 2026-10-29 |
| Willow Creek Pass CO | 9,520 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 43% | 1.3 | 46% | 1.4 | 67% | 15.6 · May 1 | 2026-10-29 |
Snow water equivalent and precipitation in inches. Greyed rows have not reported in the last 3 days and are left out of the basin figures. A dash means the normal for this date is zero.
Snow water equivalent, percent of 1991–2020 median: under 50%50–90%90–110%110–150%over 150% median is zero today not reporting
Water-year precipitation
Water year 2027Water year 20261991–2020 average
Peak snowpack by water year
Since 1981 the Colorado Headwaters basin-average snowpack has peaked as high as 25.6 in (May 2, 2011) and as low as 8.93 in (Mar 16, 2026). The 1991–2020 average peak is 16.03 in around Apr 6.
| Water year | Peak SWE (in) | Peak date | % of normal peak | April 1 SWE (in) | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 (to date) | 0.37 | Oct 25 | 2% | — | 30 |
| 2026 | 8.93 | Mar 16 | 56% | 4.96 | 30 |
| 2025 | 16.2 | Apr 6 | 101% | 15.68 | 30 |
| 2024 | 17.04 | Apr 8 | 106% | 16.93 | 30 |
| 2023 | 20 | Apr 6 | 125% | 19.66 | 29 |
| 2022 | 15.57 | Apr 14 | 97% | 14.9 | 29 |
| 2021 | 13.99 | Mar 31 | 87% | 13.98 | 29 |
| 2020 | 17.46 | Apr 19 | 109% | 16.97 | 29 |
| 2019 | 20.13 | Apr 13 | 126% | 19.85 | 29 |
| 2018 | 14.37 | Apr 9 | 90% | 12.69 | 29 |
| 2017 | 17.54 | Mar 9 | 109% | 16.6 | 29 |
| 2016 | 16.49 | Apr 1 | 103% | 16.49 | 29 |
| 2015 | 12.74 | Mar 13 | 80% | 11.75 | 29 |
| 2014 | 20.62 | Apr 7 | 129% | 19.75 | 29 |
| 2013 | 16.12 | Apr 24 | 101% | 11.88 | 29 |
| 2012 | 11.08 | Mar 5 | 69% | 8.02 | 28 |
| 2011 | 25.6 | May 2 | 160% | 21.1 | 28 |
| 2010 | 14.32 | Apr 7 | 89% | 12.91 | 27 |
| 2009 | 19.6 | Apr 18 | 122% | 17.82 | 27 |
| 2008 | 22.91 | Apr 12 | 143% | 20.38 | 26 |
| 2007 | 14.05 | Apr 13 | 88% | 13.56 | 26 |
| 2006 | 18.29 | Apr 7 | 114% | 18.15 | 25 |
| 2005 | 16.12 | Apr 11 | 101% | 15.8 | 25 |
| 2004 | 11.88 | Mar 16 | 74% | 10.6 | 25 |
| 2003 | 17.65 | Apr 24 | 110% | 16.2 | 25 |
| 2002 | 10.97 | Mar 27 | 68% | 10.22 | 23 |
| 2001 | 14.9 | Apr 14 | 93% | 13.7 | 22 |
| 2000 | 16.04 | Apr 3 | 100% | 15.66 | 21 |
| 1999 | 15.53 | May 6 | 97% | 12.29 | 21 |
| 1998 | 16.82 | Apr 20 | 105% | 14.54 | 20 |
| 1997 | 22.56 | May 2 | 141% | 19.76 | 20 |
| 1996 | 22.54 | Apr 21 | 141% | 21.54 | 20 |
| 1995 | 22.69 | May 12 | 142% | 17.48 | 20 |
| 1994 | 16.52 | Apr 11 | 103% | 14.86 | 19 |
| 1993 | 24.57 | Apr 20 | 153% | 21.38 | 19 |
| 1992 | 14.45 | Mar 30 | 90% | 14.37 | 19 |
| 1991 | 16.99 | Apr 30 | 106% | 15.46 | 19 |
| 1990 | 13.52 | Apr 9 | 84% | 13.04 | 18 |
| 1989 | 17.32 | Apr 5 | 108% | 16.03 | 18 |
| 1988 | 16.02 | Apr 1 | 100% | 16.02 | 18 |
| 1987 | 14.47 | Apr 14 | 90% | 14.04 | 18 |
| 1986 | 21.76 | Apr 19 | 136% | 19.99 | 18 |
| 1985 | 16.55 | Apr 9 | 103% | 15.67 | 17 |
| 1984 | 25.27 | May 8 | 158% | 19.54 | 12 |
| 1983 | 21.72 | May 19 | 136% | 16.87 | 12 |
| 1982 | 20.23 | Apr 12 | 126% | 18.5 | 12 |
| 1981 | 10.41 | Apr 8 | 65% | 9.44 | 12 |
Peak of the basin-average daily SWE over the stations with data that year; the station count shows how the set has grown. Data: NRCS AWDB, nightly; current-year values are provisional. Other basins: Duchesne-Lower Green · Upper Green · San Juan · Yampa-White · Gunnison · Dolores-San Miguel · Dirty Devil-Fremont.