WMOD00301

• Title: Precipitation Pattern Analysis - Uinta Baisn - Wasatch Front
• Date: 10/1/1990
• State: UT
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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Snow course measurements are expensive and difficult to make. Snow courses are located to
measure snow information that is unique to an area. When correlations are high between two snow
course stations, snow course data from one area can be used to estimate the other area. Over the
past 30 years, the numbers of snow courses have been reduced to a minimum. Correlations among
the remaining snow courses are therefore quite low but do show some correlation tendencies.

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Correlations (see Table 2) were calculated for April 1 snow water equivalent values for 3 snow
courses in the Uinta Mountains and representative snow courses in other parts of the State of Utah.
Results show minor correlation among the 3 snow courses in the Uinta Mountains and weaker
correlations between the Uinta snow courses and snow courses located in other areas of the State.

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Table 2. Snow Course Correlations for 1931-1979

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Snow Course Sage Silvr Ree's Buck CorTI Donlc LSL LSU LkFlc Msby Para
Northwest
Sagebrush Flat 1.0
Silver Lake Brighton ,148 1.0
Southwest
Ree's Flat ,078 .378 1.0
South
Buckboard Flat .095 ,186 ,295 1.0
Corral ,163 ,445 .396 .533 1,0
Donkey Reservoir .103 ,144 ,190 ,335 ,341 1.0
LaSaI MIn, (Lower) .036 ,220 .515 ,615 .487 .435 1.0
LaSaI MIn, (Upper) .009 ,Zl2 ,421 .661 .581 ,367 ,828 1.0
Uinta Mountains
Lakefork Mountain #1 ,173 ,613 .338 ,186 ,459 ,148 .324 ,200 1,0
Mosby Min. ,070 .510 ,258 .455 .559 ,105 ,262 ,Zl6 ,738 1.0
Paradise Park ,043 ,486 ,224 .384 ,452 ,158 .215 .255 ,686 ,805 1.0

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Correlations Among Several Precipitation Stations

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Precipitation stations are generally located in valleys and close to population centers. Unlike the
high mountain snow courses, collection of precipitation information is relatively inexpensive and quite
popular.

Daily precipitation data for the 1928 through 1987 period was obtained for 13 stations. Where
missing data existed for one station, that period was removed for all stations. Thus, the data used
for correlations among precipitation stations were for the same time period for all stations. The
daily precipitation data were summed and combined into 10-day periods.

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