Snowmelt
Here's something you don't see every day -- at least I have never seen it in the 20 months we have lived here -- flowing water in the Santa Fe river.
The riverbed has been bone dry all year, except for the torrents that rushed through during a 45 minute flood event last July. But this long winter has been very wet, and snow has piled up in the mountains. Although March is still cold, well below freezing almost every night in town, and constantly below freezing in the mountains, the strengthening March sun is releasing snowmelt downstream.
The amount of precipitation this winter is not a record. Northern New Mexico has had many wetter winters in the past, and many drier ones too. It's all very inconsistent from year to year. New Mexico's climate history is one of wild swings from drought to wet and back again, driving ancient populations to abandon settlements and farmers to despair.
I'm just happy at the sight. Flowing water. A few whitecaps and ripples even. Wow.
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| The river flowing past Frenchy's Field, a park in town. Picture from the Santa Fe New Mexican, 3/15/19. |
The riverbed has been bone dry all year, except for the torrents that rushed through during a 45 minute flood event last July. But this long winter has been very wet, and snow has piled up in the mountains. Although March is still cold, well below freezing almost every night in town, and constantly below freezing in the mountains, the strengthening March sun is releasing snowmelt downstream.
The amount of precipitation this winter is not a record. Northern New Mexico has had many wetter winters in the past, and many drier ones too. It's all very inconsistent from year to year. New Mexico's climate history is one of wild swings from drought to wet and back again, driving ancient populations to abandon settlements and farmers to despair.
I'm just happy at the sight. Flowing water. A few whitecaps and ripples even. Wow.
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