Upper Colorado snowpack › Colorado Headwaters › Independence Pass
Independence Pass snowpack
NRCS SNOTEL station 542 at 10,570 ft in Pitkin County, Colorado, in the Colorado Headwaters basin, with daily records since Sep 30, 1980. Latest reading Oct 29, 2026.
Snow water equivalent
100%
of the 1991–2020 median for this date · 100% of average
SWE today
1 in
median 1 in · average 1 in
Water-year precipitation
114%
of average since Oct 1 · 2.5 in vs. 2.2 in
Toward the normal peak
6%
of the average peak, 16.7 in around Apr 10
This water year against the normals
Water year 2027Water year 20261991–2020 median1991–2020 average
Water-year precipitation
Water year 2027Water year 20261991–2020 average
Peak snowpack by water year
Since 1981 this station's snowpack has peaked as high as 27.7 in (May 18, 1995) and as low as 8.1 in (Mar 18, 2026). The 1991–2020 average peak is 16.7 in around Apr 10.
| Water year | Peak SWE (in) | Peak date | % of normal peak | April 1 SWE (in) | Days of data |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8.1 | Mar 18, 2026 | 49% | 5.9 | 365 |
| 2025 | 16.2 | Apr 7, 2025 | 97% | 15.6 | 365 |
| 2024 | 17.8 | Apr 6, 2024 | 107% | 16.6 | 366 |
| 2023 | 17.7 | Apr 9, 2023 | 106% | 17.2 | 365 |
| 2022 | 14.5 | Apr 14, 2022 | 87% | 13.7 | 365 |
| 2021 | 14.7 | Apr 1, 2021 | 88% | 14.7 | 365 |
| 2020 | 19 | Apr 19, 2020 | 114% | 17.3 | 366 |
| 2019 | 21.2 | Apr 10, 2019 | 127% | 20.7 | 365 |
| 2018 | 13.6 | Apr 21, 2018 | 81% | 10.5 | 365 |
| 2017 | 17.7 | Apr 9, 2017 | 106% | 16.8 | 365 |
| 2016 | 17.1 | Apr 20, 2016 | 102% | 14.9 | 366 |
| 2015 | 15.3 | Mar 29, 2015 | 92% | 15.2 | 365 |
| 2014 | 22.2 | Apr 14, 2014 | 133% | 19.8 | 365 |
| 2013 | 15.3 | Apr 23, 2013 | 92% | 11.2 | 365 |
| 2012 | 10.7 | Mar 18, 2012 | 64% | 8.7 | 366 |
| 2011 | 25 | May 2, 2011 | 150% | 19.8 | 365 |
| 2010 | 16.5 | Apr 8, 2010 | 99% | 15.4 | 365 |
| 2009 | 21.9 | Apr 18, 2009 | 131% | 20.2 | 365 |
| 2008 | 26.8 | Apr 11, 2008 | 160% | 23.6 | 366 |
| 2007 | 16.3 | Apr 14, 2007 | 98% | 15.4 | 365 |
| 2006 | 17 | Apr 7, 2006 | 102% | 16.1 | 365 |
| 2005 | 16.3 | Apr 11, 2005 | 98% | 15.4 | 365 |
| 2004 | 14.2 | Apr 12, 2004 | 85% | 12.7 | 366 |
| 2003 | 17.5 | Apr 24, 2003 | 105% | 16.2 | 365 |
| 2002 | 12.9 | Mar 26, 2002 | 77% | 11.2 | 365 |
| 2001 | 15.1 | Apr 11, 2001 | 90% | 14 | 365 |
| 2000 | 14.7 | Apr 3, 2000 | 88% | 14.2 | 366 |
| 1999 | 20.6 | May 5, 1999 | 123% | 13.9 | 365 |
| 1998 | 17.6 | Apr 20, 1998 | 105% | 14.9 | 365 |
| 1997 | 23.6 | May 1, 1997 | 141% | 20.5 | 365 |
| 1996 | 22.1 | Apr 23, 1996 | 132% | 21 | 366 |
| 1995 | 27.7 | May 18, 1995 | 166% | 19 | 365 |
| 1994 | 18.6 | Apr 13, 1994 | 111% | 16 | 365 |
| 1993 | 24.8 | Apr 25, 1993 | 149% | 19.7 | 365 |
| 1992 | 14.2 | Mar 28, 1992 | 85% | 14 | 366 |
| 1991 | 17.4 | May 2, 1991 | 104% | 16.4 | 365 |
| 1990 | 14.1 | May 1, 1990 | 84% | 13.4 | 365 |
| 1989 | 16.6 | Apr 5, 1989 | 99% | 14.9 | 365 |
| 1988 | 13.8 | Mar 30, 1988 | 83% | 13.7 | 366 |
| 1987 | 17.8 | Apr 13, 1987 | 107% | 16 | 365 |
| 1986 | 19.5 | Apr 18, 1986 | 117% | 16.8 | 365 |
| 1985 | 17.8 | Mar 31, 1985 | 107% | 17.8 | 365 |
| 1984 | 26.7 | May 6, 1984 | 160% | 21.6 | 366 |
| 1983 | 19.1 | May 6, 1983 | 114% | 17 | 365 |
| 1982 | 20.8 | Apr 9, 1982 | 125% | 19.3 | 365 |
| 1981 | 12.6 | Apr 7, 1981 | 75% | 11.1 | 365 |
Water years with fewer than 150 days of data are omitted. Data: NRCS National Water and Climate Center AWDB (station 542:CO:SNTL), pulled nightly; current-year values are provisional. Station location: 39.0754, -106.6115. Other stations in the Colorado Headwaters basin are listed on the basin page.