SNOTEL Sensors

Uses and Benefits

SNOTEL provides a reliable, cost-effective way to collect snowpack data needed to produce water supply forecasts and support resource management across the West. Whether used during normal conditions, to mitigate droughts, or to predict flooding, SNOTEL is essential to water management. A standard SNOTEL site measures and records hourly data on snow depth, snow water equivalent, precipitation, air temperature, soil moisture, and soil temperature. These data are free and available to the public.

Data collected and transmitted by SNOTEL stations and from manual collection sites are processed for quality control and are available on the Utah Snow Survey web site. These data and products are used by water managers, farmers, ranchers, recreationists, emergency management, government, researchers, dam operators, private entities, and others to efficiently manage and use Utah’s water resources.