Climate monitoring in Glacier National Park: Annual report for 2009

Ashton, Isabel; O'Gan, Laura; Sherrill, Kirk

Weather and climate are the primary drivers of almost all physical and ecological processes that determine the distribution, structure, and function of ecosystems. Moreover, climate is critical to park management and visitor experience, is a driver of change in other vital signs and park resources, and there is evidence that climate has changed in the past century and will continue to change. Here, the Rocky Mountain Inventory & Monitoring Network (ROMN) provides a summary and analysis of climate within and around Glacier National Park (GLAC) for the 2009 calendar and water year (Oct 1- Sept 30). We focus on temperature and precipitation, while providing supplemental information on snowpack, streamflow, and regional drought status. We found the following: • Compared to the standard climatological reference period (currently 1971-2000), GLAC temperatures in 2009 were just slightly cooler at lower elevations and slightly warmer at high elevations. Locally and regionally, maximum and minimum temperatures were higher than normal during January, February, September and November. However, these were balanced by a particularly cool March, October, and December.• Compared to the last 30-years, precipitation was below average. September was a particularly hot and dry month. The region to the east of GLAC, the Rocky Mountain Front, experienced relatively less precipitation than the rest of the region. • Snow-water equivalents and river flow throughout the park during 2009 were lower than average. Glacier County, on the east side of the park had moderate drought conditions for most of the year but the drought conditions let up in November and December.

Climate monitoring in Glacier National Park: Annual report for 2009

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