This Year’s Snowfall In Bozeman, Are We Where We Need To Be?

There's a lot of talk from locals that we're in desperate need of more snow here in Bozeman and the rest of Montana. In fact, someone mentioned it in their prayer this past Sunday at Church.

Of course, the snow that we receive now goes a long way to help out through spring, summer, and fall. So, how are we doing so far?  According to averages from years past, eh, not that great.

According to data, we're about 15 percent below our yearly average for the 2021/2022 season with just over 50 inches of snow so far.  Of course, 15 percent can make a significant difference, especially when you look at years past.

Last year we had 83 inches, the year before it was 94 inches and back in 2018/2019, we had just over 100 inches for the season. I'm not sure it's time to do a "snow dance" just yet, and with the early morning snowfall, and snow forecasted a few days this week, fingers crossed we get ourselves in a good place as far as the totals go.

Of course, here in the West, we rely on that snowfall to feed our rivers and streams. In fact, up to 75 percent of our water supply is provided by snowmelt. Throw in the fact that Montana has been in a drought, well, once again we need all the snow we can get.

Some good news is that historically, the heaviest snowfall for the state occurs between November and March, so we still have several weeks left. We'll keep you updated as we go along and of course, if need be, we'll work on getting that "snow dance" organized.