No surprise, snow depth is above average

Snow depth is above average, but water content is low, reports the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) who measures snow depth and water content as part of its Flood Forecasting and Warning Program. 

 “Last year at this time there was no snow. Already, the snow we have today is relatively deep, but quite light and fluffy, with low water content,” said Joel Harrison, NBMCA’s Water Resources Specialist. “The measurement within the Chippewa Creek watershed reads approximately 20 cm of snow, but if it melted it would produce only 2 cm of water.”

Environment Canada has predicted a snowy start to winter this year due to a strong lake effect, caused by above-average Great Lakes water temperatures.  And there’s more snowfall expected in the short-term forecast.

See: Snowfall warning

Snow is measured for depth and water equivalence at three locations in the watershed. Data for the season can be found on the NBMCA website at www.nbmca.ca.

North Bay Golf and Country Club (Chippewa Creek Watershed, North Bay)                                                                                                                                       

Corbeil Conservation Area (La Vase River Watershed, Corbeil)

Shirley Skinner Conservation Area (Kaibuskong River Watershed, Chisholm