The Department of Water Resources said Thursday that California’s vital snowpack has risen to 80% of normal for this time of year.
The department conducted its traditional manual survey at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe, and also released combined readings for 130 automated stations across the state.
“We are now in the last month of the traditional snow season, and while conditions have dramatically improved since the beginning of the year, March will be critical in determining if we finish above or below average,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth.
The current snow level is 70% of the April 1 average, which is the typical peak. However, a blizzard forecast for Northern California through the weekend is expected to drop multiple feet of snow.
“California has seen several extreme climate events so far this water year, including record rainfall in Southern California,” said Dr. Michael Anderson, the state climatologist. “While this pushed statewide precipitation above average, the snowpack still has not caught up from the dry conditions earlier this winter.
“The upcoming storm will deliver more snow, but the critical month of March will have to deliver enough snowpack to make up for the dry fall and slow start to the year,” he said.
On average, the Sierra snowpack supplies about 30% of California’s water needs. Its natural ability to store water is why the Sierra snowpack is often referred to as California’s “frozen reservoir.”