The field season is still three months away.  Based on the forecasting method for glacier mass balance, we predict that mass balance will be positive this year, due to the negative values of PDO and ENSO.  The winter season began early with snow in early October.  After this relatively warm, dry weather kept the snowpack below normal up until Dec. 15.   The PDO and La Nina are both negative.  The chart at left indicates April1 SWE versus an inverted average of PDO and ENSO.  When both are negative it is evident that snowpack tends to be quite high note the previous examples of this 2000, 1999, 1989, 1976, 1974, 1971 and 1956.  All except 1989 had quite high snowpack.  From Dec. 15-Feb 15 snowpack rose to above normal levels, particularly at elevations below 1000 meters.

Levels or precipitation have not been unusual since Feb.15 however, temperatures have remained below normal right through April 20.  It is predicted by NOAA/NWS that this trend of cooler conditions will persist through May.

Youtube slideshow of 2006-2007 field seasons.