Above average

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
It may have warmed up a bit over the past couple of weeks, but areas around Newcastle still have above-average snow totals, according to an April 1 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 
The Black Hills Snow Course Readings report includes two areas located near Newcastle: Mallo and Little Bear Run. Both areas have consistently had above-average snow water equivalent, according to the reports published throughout the first four months of the year, and April was no different. 
According to the USDA, Little Bear Run, with an elevation of 6,240 feet, had 11.7 inches of snow on April 1, which is equal to 3.8 inches of snow water equivalent. 
Snow water equivalent, or SWE, is a common snowpack measurement for the amount of water contained in the snowpack. It can be thought of as the depth of water that would theoretically result if the snowpack were to melt instantaneously, according to Jason Nehl, a U.S. Department of Agriculture resource specialist in Sundance. 
The snow water equivalent for Little Bear Run is 158% of the 30-year median of 2.4 inches of SWE. 
Mallo’s survey area, with an elevation of 6,420 feet, had 24.8 inches of snow on April 1, equal to 8 inches of snow water equivalent. This puts Mallo at 136% of the 30-year median that sits at 5.9 inches of SWE.