What you need to know
The statewide snowpack is 108 percent of the Jan. 2 average. A manual survey at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains showed that the snowwater equivalent at that location was 91 percent of average. Snow water equivalent is the amount of water once contained in a snowpack. It melts and flows into the state’s water systems. Although the start of January is showing signs of optimism, California has a history of extremes when it comes to snowfall. Thursday’s Drought Monitor update showed that 31 percent of California, including Southern California, is in moderate drought.
California takes its first snowfall measurements of the season, and an early winter assessment of critical parts of the nation’s most populous state’s water supply shows conditions are about average for early January. .
A manual survey at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains found snow depths of 24 inches and total snowfall equivalent to 9 inches. This is 91% of the average for that location.
Snow water equivalent is the amount of water contained in the snowpack after it has melted. That water then flows into the state’s water system’s reservoirs and canals. Known as California’s frozen reservoir, this mountain snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs.
Statewide snowfall is 108 percent of the average for January 2nd. While monthly surveys such as the Phillips Ranch survey are done manually, the state water board uses electronic readings from 130 stations throughout the Sierra Nevada to estimate snow levels on average for January 2nd. We understand this in advance. Hot and dry summer season.
The snow water equivalent of the statewide snowpack was 10.7 inches, or 108% of the average for the day. It was 28 percent on January 2, 2024, but this large difference is primarily due to snow produced by several atmospheric river storms that have occurred in Northern California this season.
There is a noticeable difference between snowfall in the south and north. In the northernmost reaches of California, early-season storms accounted for much of the state’s snowfall, with snow levels reaching 161 percent of normal levels for early January. Snow cover reached 75 percent in the southern region.
https://t.co/le7B7z0Opl
— CA – DWR (@CA_DWR) January 2, 2025
“The snowpack is looking good so far, but we have a long way to go until April, when the water supply situation is more complete,” California Department of Water Resources Director Carla Nemeth said. “This winter has seen a continuation of extreme changes between dry and wet conditions, and if the past few years are any indication, anything could happen between now and April, and we You need to be prepared.”
Although the start of January is showing signs of optimism, California has a history of extremes when it comes to snowfall. In 2013 and 2022, after a series of snowstorms, snowpack in January was well above average, but conditions remained dry for the remainder of the winter.
California has experienced above-average snowfall for the second year in a row, with snowpack at major reservoirs at 121 percent of average as of early January. After three of California’s driest years on record, it’s been several years of heavy snowfall.
DWR conducted its first snow survey of the season at Phillips Station today. A manual survey recorded a snow depth of 24 inches and snow water equivalent to 9 inches, which is 91% of the average for this location. Statewide, snowfall is 108% of average for the day. pic.twitter.com/9gx8O5MvUQ
— CA – DWR (@CA_DWR) January 2, 2025
“So far this season, we’ve been lucky to have some atmospheric river systems that have been solid snow producers,” said Andy Rising, DWR Snow Research and Water Forecasting Unit Manager. “We had a very dry fall, so we had some big storms in November and late December that gave us a healthy snowpack. But we still need to finish this year on target. Additional snow is needed at a regular pace in winter. ”
The next survey is tentatively set for February 3rd.
Thursday’s Drought Monitor update showed 31 percent of California, including Southern California, is in moderate drought, the least severe of the weekly report’s four drought categories. Nearly 6 percent of the state is in severe drought, with parts along the Arizona border also in extreme drought.
At this time last year, no area in the state was under drought designation.
