diff --git a/algorithm/snow/snow_ims_scf_preprocess.yaml.j2 b/algorithm/snow/snow_ims_scf_preprocess.yaml.j2
index 67ac7276..7d5f4e9e 100644
--- a/algorithm/snow/snow_ims_scf_preprocess.yaml.j2
+++ b/algorithm/snow/snow_ims_scf_preprocess.yaml.j2
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ geometry:
       filename_orog: '{{ snow_orog_prefix }}_oro_data.nc'
 date: '{{ snow_background_time_iso }}'
 output ioda file: '{{snow_obsdatain_path}}/{{snow_obsdatain_prefix}}ims_snow.tm00.nc'
-input scf file: './obs/ims{{ snow_background_time_julian }}_4km_v1.3.asc'
+input scf file: './obs/ims{{ snow_background_time_julian }}_4km_v1.3.{{ ims_scf_obs_suffix }}'
 mapping file: './obs/IMS4km_to_FV3_mapping.{{ snow_orog_prefix }}_oro_data.nc'
 variables:
 - totalSnowDepth