Huge March Roadside Snow Depths

[SSSdave]

In all the years I've been going up into the Sierra during winter, I don't think I've ever seen as much snow now mid March in the lower mountain elevations of the Sierra. I've not been up on but SR88 and SR140 so maybe some others here can chime in on some of the other routes. Its of course due to so many cold storms this March putting snow down at far lower than normal levels. Along SR88, Ham's Station at 5.4k is buried in maybe 3 to 5 feet and there is still quite a lot of snow on the ground up at Pioneer below 3000 feet with piles of snow at even lower shady areas about Pine Grove. And of course up at 8k, there are huge snow banks along the road at Carson Spur though I have seen more snow there midwinter quite a number of times especially during any of the El Nino years like last year. But even in the El Nino years cold late winter snows in March often melt back quickly at lower elevations so don't pile up as much as we are seeing this unusual year. Even Yosemite Valley at 4000 feet is buried like an icebox with snow all around ground areas of the valley loop road all month. When the current storm cycle ends and warm temps and sun come out, that low elevation snow ought to melt pretty quickly and really swell up the big Sierra rivers.

...David

[hikerduane]

I was surprised when I got home on Friday that there wasn't more snow further north. I live at 4000' so the worst of the storms must have been a little further south. We haven't had any flooding like I thought we would, usually in a El Nino year, you can count on some flooding up where I live. The usual scenario is a storm will come thru and leave snow, a foot or more then turn warm and rain heavily which melts the snow.

I only had to shovel some heavy snow off my decks yesterday. A week ago there was 15" of snow on my garden area, less now with the rain which turned back to snow. Nice out today.

[dave54]

I had about 4 feet in my yard last weekend. But just a couple days of sunshine rapidly settled it down to about 2 feet now.

The south facing slopes on the Susanville side of the hill are bare with only a few patches.

[hikerduane]

Canyon Dam area gets hit pretty good. Nice views from my work area of Jobes Peak by Gardnerville. Lots of snow up there.

[Snow Nymph]

Snow level at our condo (8,000’) in Mammoth. Snow is blocking our window