picture above: January 08- slide out of the most northeast facing bowl on Gothic Mountain that split and ran to the river in two places but stopped there.
Today's weather, Monday, March 27: cloudy with light snow overnight, then some clearing just after sunrise while staying breezy and cool. It turned cloudy soon after staying windy and cold with a bit of clearing mid afternoon.
Live Station Cameras
The Station Camera, below, is located at the weather station
--Current view: Gothic Mountain
--The windy.com web page has taken the camera put it on a fast 24-hour run-through. You can clink on the station camera to see it.
-- usually if there is little to no visibility the camera will focus on the nearby road, the snow board, the river or other close views
-- you can back track on the view by up to 12 hours by using the time bar at the bottom of the feed
-- there is sometimes a delay or a slow connection. If so, you can go directly to the YouTube page by clicking here
--Current view: Gothic Mountain
--The windy.com web page has taken the camera put it on a fast 24-hour run-through. You can clink on the station camera to see it.
-- usually if there is little to no visibility the camera will focus on the nearby road, the snow board, the river or other close views
-- you can back track on the view by up to 12 hours by using the time bar at the bottom of the feed
-- there is sometimes a delay or a slow connection. If so, you can go directly to the YouTube page by clicking here
The Station Camera, below, is located just north of the station
Current view: the upper East River valley
--'Rustler's Gulch' as labeled, is really just the beginning of that area, which extends behind Avery Mountain
--The windy.com web page has taken the camera on a fast 24-hour run-through. You can clink on the up-valley camera link to see it
--You can go directly to the camera on the YouTube page by clicking here
Today's weather data for Gothic, March 27, 2023, as of 5:25 p.m. MDT
Low temperature: -15½ºC (04ºF)
High temperature: -9ºC (16ºF)
Current temperature: -11ºC (12ºF)
Cloud cover: mostly cloudy
Wind: 5-10 W(strongest wind between ground and 45,000 feet is 112 mph W at 30,000 feet elevation)
Precipitation: sunset March 26 to sunrise March 27: with 8 cm (3") new snow containing 0.30" of water content, 0.00" rain
Precipitation sunrise to sunset today: with 0 cm (0") new snow containing 0.00" water content, 0.00" rain
Precipitation today, currently: none, with 8 cm (3") new snow containing 0.30" water, 0.00" rain
Current snowpack: 235 cm (92½")
Water content of snowpack, March 26 (to the nearest ½"): 28"
Precipitation data this snow year (starting September 01) as of sunrise, March 27
Winters deepest snowpack: 246 cm (97") on March 22
Total snowfall this winter: 802 cm (315")
Total water content from snow (SWE) this winter: 26.54"
Total rain during this snow-year: 2.56"
Total precipitation this snow-year: 29.10"
Low temperature: -15½ºC (04ºF)
High temperature: -9ºC (16ºF)
Current temperature: -11ºC (12ºF)
Cloud cover: mostly cloudy
Wind: 5-10 W(strongest wind between ground and 45,000 feet is 112 mph W at 30,000 feet elevation)
Precipitation: sunset March 26 to sunrise March 27: with 8 cm (3") new snow containing 0.30" of water content, 0.00" rain
Precipitation sunrise to sunset today: with 0 cm (0") new snow containing 0.00" water content, 0.00" rain
Precipitation today, currently: none, with 8 cm (3") new snow containing 0.30" water, 0.00" rain
Current snowpack: 235 cm (92½")
Water content of snowpack, March 26 (to the nearest ½"): 28"
Precipitation data this snow year (starting September 01) as of sunrise, March 27
Winters deepest snowpack: 246 cm (97") on March 22
Total snowfall this winter: 802 cm (315")
Total water content from snow (SWE) this winter: 26.54"
Total rain during this snow-year: 2.56"
Total precipitation this snow-year: 29.10"
Soil Temperature and Moisture Content for March 27:
For complete data go to the soil temperature and moisture page, which was last updated through March 25. There still has been little change in soil temperature, and even less so in moisture content, for a few months now. It will change rapidly once we get sustained clear and warm weather but for now nothing goes on.
At 5 cm (2") below surface: soil temperature average 32.1ºF, steady; soil moisture content 14%, steady
At 10 cm (4") below surface: soil temperature average 32.5ºF, steady; soil moisture content 14%, steady
At 20 cm (8") below surface: soil temperature average 32.7ºF, steady; soil moisture content 16%, steady
At 50 cm (20") below surface: soil temperature average 34.1ºF, steady; soil moisture content 10%, steady
For complete data go to the soil temperature and moisture page, which was last updated through March 25. There still has been little change in soil temperature, and even less so in moisture content, for a few months now. It will change rapidly once we get sustained clear and warm weather but for now nothing goes on.
At 5 cm (2") below surface: soil temperature average 32.1ºF, steady; soil moisture content 14%, steady
At 10 cm (4") below surface: soil temperature average 32.5ºF, steady; soil moisture content 14%, steady
At 20 cm (8") below surface: soil temperature average 32.7ºF, steady; soil moisture content 16%, steady
At 50 cm (20") below surface: soil temperature average 34.1ºF, steady; soil moisture content 10%, steady
What is New and other Notes: the weekly weather summary is up and what a difference the past week has caused. First, let me comment on the elephant in the room- that is, this winter has finally moved up to reaching average for total snowfall (1% below actually, but close). How is that possible with all the snow there has been? Well, two reasons. The first is that there was not a lot of snow in the first part of winter despite the constant cloud cover. But the main reason is the water content, which has been far above average. While snowfall is 1% below, the water content from the snow is 21% above average. So, in the most important number it has been a very good water winter. Which goes along with the snowpack which is the 2nd deepest for this date in all the years- and it is dense so slow to settle down. It was also a cold week. So, everyone happy? Now show me the sun.
With a few days of clearing came cold mornings with record lows on March 18 and 19. But then the snow hit hard with the most snowfall on a given day on March 22 and the deepest snowpack on record for March 22- 24. Then the cold returned with a record lowest daily high temperature on March 25 and a record low on March 26.
The avalanche page has been deleted as there are much better resources for that. Go to the Crested Butte Avalanche center page for more information.
For a detailed hour by hour weather forecast for Gothic go to the Colorado Avalanche Information Gothic weather forecast page.
With a few days of clearing came cold mornings with record lows on March 18 and 19. But then the snow hit hard with the most snowfall on a given day on March 22 and the deepest snowpack on record for March 22- 24. Then the cold returned with a record lowest daily high temperature on March 25 and a record low on March 26.
The avalanche page has been deleted as there are much better resources for that. Go to the Crested Butte Avalanche center page for more information.
For a detailed hour by hour weather forecast for Gothic go to the Colorado Avalanche Information Gothic weather forecast page.
"If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain" -Steven Wright
"The wind shows us how close to the edge we are". -Joan Didion
"Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together". ~Vista M. Kelly
"Only the mediocre are always at their best" -Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley (Al Franken)
"The wind shows us how close to the edge we are". -Joan Didion
"Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together". ~Vista M. Kelly
"Only the mediocre are always at their best" -Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley (Al Franken)
Bird sightings on March 27 (those seen or heard have √ next to them)
Gray jay √ Stellar Jay √ American Crow √ Magpie Mountain Chickadee Black Capped Chickadee √ Pine Grosbeak Gray crowned Rosy Finch √ White Breasted Nuthatch Red Breasted Nuthatch Hairy Woodpecker Raven White Tailed Ptarmigan Saw Whet Owl Dark Eyed Junco |
Animals on March 27: (v= visual siting, a= audible, t= track)
tree squirrel- red fox- t deer mouse- t long tailed weasel- short tailed weasel- snowshoe hare- t pine marten- vole- shrew- moose- coyote- |
Some pictures of the area:
Gothic Weather Page Index:
Home page (this page- if you lived here you'd be home already)
Current Year, daily Description- the 2023 daily written description
2022 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2022
2021 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2021
2020 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2020
2019 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2019
2018 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2018
2017 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2017
2016 weather description- the last months of 2016 a written out daily weather summary description
notes on this site: explains what things mean and sampling methods, as well as a short video of the data site
contact- where you can send requests or suggestions about this web site from. Please do. (you don't write, you don't call. Was it something I said?)
Data: summary page and description of data
Daily data, current year- daily weather data for the current year
2022 daily data- daily weather data for the 2022 calendar year.
2021 daily data- daily weather data for the 2021 calendar year.
2020 daily data- daily weather data for the 2020 calendar year.
2019 Daily data- daily weather data for the 2019 calendar year.
2018 daily data- daily weather data for the 2018 calendar year.
2017 daily data- daily weather data for the 2017 calendar year.
2016 daily data- daily weather data for the 2016 calendar year.
weekly weather summary- the past weeks weather summary and this winter's weather compared to the past 46 winters.
long term snow- snow totals month by month, and snow year by snow year, since fall, 1974 in both centimeters and inches
long term water- month by month and snow year by snow year water content of the snowfall
ground cover- the dates and number of consecutive days of snow on the ground for each winter, as well as date of snow melt drop under 100 and 50 cm
soil temperature and moisture- temperature information from underground at four different depths as well as the moisture content of the soil
daily high temperature => freezing- this table shows the number of days in each winter month over the years in which the daily high reached or surpassed freezing, the temperature when snow would melt
Records: this area will have info on the number of records, such as most snow on a given date, highest temperature and so on
records by winter: showing each winter and the number of record highs, lows, days with most snow etc. since 1974 as well as other info pertinent to that winter.
record summary table: a quick-look summary table of the records by winter
Monthly Data: The title page has all summarized data for each month for November through May starting in the fall of 1974 up until the current listed chronologically. The individual months below of June through October start from the 2000-2001 winter to current only, except for snow totals.
September- summary for September, 2000-2022
October- summary for October, 2000-2022
November- summary for November, 1974-2022
December- summary for December, 1974-2022
January- summary for January, 1975-2023
February- summary for February, 1975-2023
March- summaries for March, 1975-2022
April- summary for April, 1975-2022
May- summary for May, 1975-2022
June- summary for June, 2000-2022
July- summary for July, 2001-2022
August- summary for August, 2001-2022
Other Info- just a heading page for the underlying categories
animals- notes on siting and activity of winter animal life, updated March 17
avalanches- a general overlook of the snow conditions around Gothic
photos and videos- an archive of photos that were on various site pages (in progress- well, actually little there to see)
ski and road- mostly general ski conditions for the area to and around Gothic, though in early and late winter road opening becomes important. Last update January 19.
links- links to other web sites people may find helpful
↑ ↓ → º ½
Home page (this page- if you lived here you'd be home already)
Current Year, daily Description- the 2023 daily written description
2022 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2022
2021 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2021
2020 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2020
2019 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2019
2018 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2018
2017 weather description- daily written summary for the calendar year 2017
2016 weather description- the last months of 2016 a written out daily weather summary description
notes on this site: explains what things mean and sampling methods, as well as a short video of the data site
contact- where you can send requests or suggestions about this web site from. Please do. (you don't write, you don't call. Was it something I said?)
Data: summary page and description of data
Daily data, current year- daily weather data for the current year
2022 daily data- daily weather data for the 2022 calendar year.
2021 daily data- daily weather data for the 2021 calendar year.
2020 daily data- daily weather data for the 2020 calendar year.
2019 Daily data- daily weather data for the 2019 calendar year.
2018 daily data- daily weather data for the 2018 calendar year.
2017 daily data- daily weather data for the 2017 calendar year.
2016 daily data- daily weather data for the 2016 calendar year.
weekly weather summary- the past weeks weather summary and this winter's weather compared to the past 46 winters.
long term snow- snow totals month by month, and snow year by snow year, since fall, 1974 in both centimeters and inches
long term water- month by month and snow year by snow year water content of the snowfall
ground cover- the dates and number of consecutive days of snow on the ground for each winter, as well as date of snow melt drop under 100 and 50 cm
soil temperature and moisture- temperature information from underground at four different depths as well as the moisture content of the soil
daily high temperature => freezing- this table shows the number of days in each winter month over the years in which the daily high reached or surpassed freezing, the temperature when snow would melt
Records: this area will have info on the number of records, such as most snow on a given date, highest temperature and so on
records by winter: showing each winter and the number of record highs, lows, days with most snow etc. since 1974 as well as other info pertinent to that winter.
record summary table: a quick-look summary table of the records by winter
Monthly Data: The title page has all summarized data for each month for November through May starting in the fall of 1974 up until the current listed chronologically. The individual months below of June through October start from the 2000-2001 winter to current only, except for snow totals.
September- summary for September, 2000-2022
October- summary for October, 2000-2022
November- summary for November, 1974-2022
December- summary for December, 1974-2022
January- summary for January, 1975-2023
February- summary for February, 1975-2023
March- summaries for March, 1975-2022
April- summary for April, 1975-2022
May- summary for May, 1975-2022
June- summary for June, 2000-2022
July- summary for July, 2001-2022
August- summary for August, 2001-2022
Other Info- just a heading page for the underlying categories
animals- notes on siting and activity of winter animal life, updated March 17
avalanches- a general overlook of the snow conditions around Gothic
photos and videos- an archive of photos that were on various site pages (in progress- well, actually little there to see)
ski and road- mostly general ski conditions for the area to and around Gothic, though in early and late winter road opening becomes important. Last update January 19.
links- links to other web sites people may find helpful
↑ ↓ → º ½
Thank you to Greg of the Desert Research Institute and Brian of Slopeside Technology for their support in maintaining instrumentation. Also to Dan Jones for equipment assistance and station set-up, and for David Inouye and Art Mears and for advice, input and data analysis.