Sierra snowpack 52% of normal

[cahiker]

"The water content of the Sierra Nevada snowpack is 52% of normal for April 1...Snowpack levels were 54% of normal at the same time last year."

"That's the lowest reading for the beginning of April of any time since 2007, which was the start of a three-year drought. Only two years during the past 20 have had less Sierra snow at this time of year, 1994 and 2007."

http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_2 ... ting-drier" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Herm]

I hope that when John Dittli reports next week, the figures are a little better. Some ground could be made up in the next few weeks - I hope for some rain/snow this spring.

[dave54]

I could pull my lawn mower out of storage and start cutting the grass now. This is the earliest in memory my yard is free of snow. Most years I would still have close to a foot or more on April 1.

The year started out good, with the big storm at Christmas. Basically nothing since, only a few scattered dustings. The red wing blackbirds normally do not show up at my feeders until late April/early May. A huge flock is hanging around now. The goldfinches are starting to show up also - they usually start appearing in mid May.

This means the higher elevations will be open earlier, but by late summer the woods will be seriously dry, with the meadows browned out and the creeks empty.

[rlown]

smells like an ice out trip is in order. Bet that'll be sooner than later if the weather doesn't change.