Olympic Mountain snowpack is more than twice as robust as it normally is heading into summer.
“We’re going to have plenty of water,” said Scott Pattee, water supply specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Mount Vernon.
“That’s not going to be an issue.”
After a warm spell in late April and early May, temperatures have cooled significantly on the North Olympic Peninsula.
The cool-down has left the snowpack — water content contained within the snow — at twice normal amounts at Hurricane Ridge and the Little Quilcene River basin, Pattee said.
“We’re way above were we normally would be,” he said.
“We still have lots of snow up there. It’s coming off slowly, but it’s definitely still there.”
Snow depth at the 5,010-foot Waterhole site near Hurricane Ridge was 84 inches — or seven feet — and the snow water equivalent was 44 inches as of Friday.
At the 3,960-foot Mount Crag SNOTEL (snow telemetry) site in East Jefferson County, snow depth was 68 inches and the snowpack was 29 inches.
Cascade Mountain snowpack is faring equally well, Pattee said.
“We’ve still got mega-snow up high,” he added.
“There should be plenty of water supply for all uses this summer.
“Rafters will be kicking it up on the Elwha.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
