Abstract
Snow is an important water resource for communities throughout the western United States. In western Montana, 62% of annual precipitation falls as snow. Recent research suggests there is an inverse relationship between Northern Rockies snowpack and El Niño and between Northern Rockies snowpack and the positive phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, a realization that could benefit the communities and industries throughout the West that depend on snowmelt for their water needs. This research uses linear regression statistics to test if a correlation exists between ENSO or PDO and April 1 snowpack at the headwaters of the Rattlesnake Creek in western Montana between 1950 and 2005. Contrary to the results from other work, the initial results of this study do not indicate a significant correlation between Pacific oscillations and high elevation snowpack in the Rattlesnake Creek watershed.
Recommended Citation
DeWire, Deana
(2006)
"The Effects of Pacific Oscillations on Snowpack in the Rattlesnake Creek Drainage, Western Montana,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 48:
Iss.
2, Article 1.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol48/iss2/1