WEATHER – The Rubies Are Nearly Bare: Record Low Snowpack Raises Summer Water Concerns
📌 THE GIST: The Ruby Mountains are experiencing “record low snow water amounts” as Nevada faces a significant snow drought, with snowpack levels far below normal heading into mid-January. The Upper Humboldt Basin is at just 24% of its median snow water equivalent.
🔍 THE DETAILS:
- Hole-in-Mountain SNOTEL (11,306 ft): 13.0 inches of snowpack as of January 15
- Green Mountain SNOTEL (11,143 ft): 13 inches (38% of normal, 27% of median snow water equivalent)
- Upper Humboldt Basin: 24% of median snow water equivalent
- Statewide: Nevada ended 2025 with the lowest snowpack in over 40 years
- Cause: Unseasonably warm temperatures causing precipitation to fall as rain, plus high-elevation snowmelt
CONTEXT: Snowpack in the Ruby Mountains feeds critical downstream water resources including the Humboldt River, Lamoille Creek, and South Fork Reservoir. Ranchers, municipalities, and wildlife all depend on spring snowmelt for summer water supplies. Hydrologists describe snowpack as “the best winter reservoir to store water for summer.” While winter is far from over, the current deficit puts pressure on water managers across northeastern Nevada to plan for potential shortages.
🔗 SOURCE: Nevada SNOTEL Data | The Nevada Independent
THE SPARK: Ranchers, farmers, and anyone with water on your mind: How are you planning for a potentially dry summer? We want to hear from folks across the county who are tracking conditions → fb.com/groups/640606729076974