Abstract: In Xinjiang, snow constitutes a major water resource important to crop production, ranching, water supply, and other user needs. The snow water equivalent is estimated and its spatial-temporal distribution is analyzed using the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) EOS (Earth Observing System) remote sensing data collected during 2004—2010, and a 50-year dataset of snow depths and densities from 89 meteorological stations in Xinjiang. The result shows that the maximum value of annual snow water equivalent in Xinjiang during 2004—2010 was about 36.883 billion m³, which occurred in the winter of 2009—2010; while the minimum value was only 9.391 billion m³, which occurred in the winter of 2006—2007. The difference between maximum and minimum is about four times, and the difference in the earliest and latest dates for the peak occurrence can be 50 days long. Snow water resources in Xinjiang is mainly distributed in four regions, which are South Xinjiang, eastern Xinjiang, Yili and Bozhou, northeast of North Xinjiang. The time of peak occurrence of snow water equivalent varies from region to region around Xinjiang. The peak value of snow water equivalent is the sum of peak values in the four regions. The snow water equivalent has fluctuated dramatically in past 50 years in Xinjiang. An upward trend with a slope of 0.083 2 in the snow water equivalent variation has been detected, which indicates that the snow water resource in Xinjiang has increased annually. A gradually increased fluctuation range indicates there may be years with less snow water resources.