NBMCA releases first snow readings of the season

The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority
News Release

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The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) released the current snow pack information for the North Bay area today as part of the NBMCA's Flood Forecasting and Warning Program.

"It's not very often that we release a snow survey this early in the season," explain Brian Tayler, General Manager, North Bay - Mattawa Conservation Authority. "For 14 years out of the past 22 years, there has been very little or no snow on the ground on December 1st. As a result, statistically, we are at a very high percentage of normal for this time of year."

The NBMCA advises area residents and visitors to use extreme caution around area creeks, wetlands and lakes as waterways have areas of open water. The NBMCA will continue with its bi-weekly monitoring of the snow pack throughout the winter and spring of 2008.

Psychiatric Hospital

Current Average Snow Depth for December 1, 2008
36.5 cm (522% of normal)

Current Average Water Equivalence for December 1, 2008
5.4 cm (472% of normal)

Average Snow Depth for December 1, 2007
17.3 cm

Highest recorded snow depth for December 1 since 1988
36.5 cm in 2008

Lowest recorded snow depth for December 1 since 1988
0 cm (12 out of 21 years)

Corbeil Conservation Area

Current Average Snow Depth for December 1, 2008
43.3 cm (623% of normal)

Current Average Water Equivalence for December 1, 2008
5.5 cm (832% of normal)

Average Snow Depth for December 1, 2007
21.3 cm

Highest recorded snow depth for December 1 since 1987
43.8 cm in 2008

Lowest recorded snow depth for December 1 since 1987
0 cm (14 out of 22 years)

Shirley Skinner Conservation Area

The Shirley Skinner Conservation Area was added as an NBMCA snow monitoring station in 2007 in order to better understand the Wasi watershed and better represent the entire NBMCA jurisdiction. As the NBMCA has less than five years worth of data at this location, no comparisons can be calculated at this time.

Current Average Snow Depth for December 1, 2008
43.8 cm

Current Average Water Equivalence for December 1, 2008
6.3 cm

Average Snow Depth for December 1, 2007
18.8 cm

The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority (NBMCA) was founded in 1972 by the Province of Ontario and the NBMCA's 10 member municipalities. A non-profit organization, the NBMCA works closely with the public to ensure the environmental health of the region's watershed. The NBMCA is one of 36 Conservation Authorities who are members of Conservation Ontario.

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