Water, ice, and meteorological measurements at South Cascade Glacier, Washington, 1997 balance year

Winter snow accumulation and summer snow, firn, and ice melt were measured at South Cascade Glacier, Washington to determine the winter and net balances for the 1997 balance year. The 1997 winter balance, averaged over the glacier, was 3.71 meters, and the net balance was 0.63 meter. The winter balance was the greatest since 1972 (4.27 meters), and the second largest since the record began in 1959. The net balance, which was positive for the second year in a row, was 1.57 meters greater than the 1977-96 average (-0.94 meter). Runoff was measured from the glacier and an adjacent non-glacierized basin. Air temperature and precipitation were measured nearby. This report makes these data available to the glaciological and climatological community.