Snow totals low for the year

Areas of the Black Hills closest to Newcastle are presently below the 30-year median for snow water equivalent, according to the Black Hills Snow Course Readings Jan. 1 report completed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Sundance, . 
 
As of Jan. 1, Little Bear Run has a current snow depth of 1.7 inches with a snow water equivalent of only 0.2 inches. The 30-year median for SWE for the area is 1.7 inches, making the current depth 12% of the average. 
 
Snow water equivalent, or SWE, is a common snowpack measurement for the amount of water contained in the snowpack.
 
At Mallo, the current snow depth is 8.8 inches with a SWE of 1.1 inches. The 30-year median for the area is 3 inches, making the current SWE 37% of the average.
 
Due to the lack of moisture, Weston County Fire Warden Daniel Tysdal reported that on Jan. 3 the Weston County Fire Protection District responded to a fire near the trail system on state land just east of the Flying V. The cause was an escaped abandoned campfire. 
 
“Since there has been very little to no significant moisture in some time and essentially no snow cover for most of the county, our fuels are extremely dry and will readily burn on the warm and breezy days we’ve recently experienced.” 
 
However, Tysdal said, it “appears there will be a drastic change in the weather pattern this week, wherein we’ll see sharply colder temperatures and chances of snow several days in a row clear into the weekend.” 
 
He noted that this should reduce any immediate concerns about the county’s fire danger. 
 
Despite this outlook, Tysdal said that people should be cautious in doing controlled burns and be sure to check them for several days to ensure they are out.