California’s snowpack is approaching record levels last set in the 1982-83 snow year after weeks of storms this season, state officials said on Friday. The Department of Water Resources’ electronic readings from 130 snow sensors across the state found the snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 44.7 inches or 190% of the average for the date. | VIDEO BELOW | DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit Manager Sean de Guzman details big snowpack gainsDWR’s update comes as the third snow survey of the season at Phillips Station found 116.5 inches of snow depth with 41.5 inches of water packed within that snow. That’s 177% of the average for the location. State officials said California’s snowpack varies by region with the Southern Sierra snowpack at 209% of the April 1 average, the Central Sierra at 175% of the average and the Northern Sierra at 136% of the average. The April 1 date is important because that’s when water managers expect the snowpack to be at its deepest. The Northern Sierra region is where the state’s biggest water reservoirs, including Lake Shasta, are located. “Thankfully the recent storms combined with the January atmospheric rivers have contributed to an above-average snowpack that will help fill some of the state’s reservoirs and maximize groundwater recharge efforts,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said in a statement that noted the Northern Sierra lagged other regions. “It will also take more than one good year to begin recovery of the state’s groundwater basins.”Still, DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit Manager Sean de Guzman said that recent storms had a dramatic effect. “We are hopeful that we will see more cold storms to add to our snowpack for the next month and help set up a long, slow melt period into spring,” he said in a statement.| MORE | Northern Sierra 8 Station Index shows precipitation at 118% of the averageRelated Coverage of This Season’s Snow SurveysFirst DWR snow survey of the season reveals ‘one of the best starts in 40 years’ for the SierraFebruary snow survey reveals January storms doubled California’s snowpack
California’s snowpack is approaching record levels last set in the 1982-83 snow year after weeks of storms this season, state officials said on Friday.
The Department of Water Resources’ electronic readings from 130 snow sensors across the state found the snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 44.7 inches or 190% of the average for the date.
| VIDEO BELOW | DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit Manager Sean de Guzman details big snowpack gains
DWR’s update comes as the third snow survey of the season at Phillips Station found 116.5 inches of snow depth with 41.5 inches of water packed within that snow. That’s 177% of the average for the location.
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State officials said California’s snowpack varies by region with the Southern Sierra snowpack at 209% of the April 1 average, the Central Sierra at 175% of the average and the Northern Sierra at 136% of the average. The April 1 date is important because that’s when water managers expect the snowpack to be at its deepest.
The Northern Sierra region is where the state’s biggest water reservoirs, including Lake Shasta, are located.
“Thankfully the recent storms combined with the January atmospheric rivers have contributed to an above-average snowpack that will help fill some of the state’s reservoirs and maximize groundwater recharge efforts,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said in a statement that noted the Northern Sierra lagged other regions. “It will also take more than one good year to begin recovery of the state’s groundwater basins.”
Still, DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit Manager Sean de Guzman said that recent storms had a dramatic effect.
“We are hopeful that we will see more cold storms to add to our snowpack for the next month and help set up a long, slow melt period into spring,” he said in a statement.
| MORE | Northern Sierra 8 Station Index shows precipitation at 118% of the average
Related Coverage of This Season’s Snow Surveys
Read More: California snow survey shows big gains, snowpack nears a record
