Questions and reports related to Sierra Nevada current and forecast conditions, as well as general precautions and safety information. Trail conditions, fire/smoke reports, mosquito reports, weather and snow conditions, stream crossing information, and more.
SACRAMENTO — California's third snow survey this winter found the Sierra Nevada snowpack is far below normal and leaning toward being the lowest on record in more than two decades.
The survey on Tuesday found a snowpack water equivalent of just 0.9 inches in the snowpack near Echo Summit, about 90 miles east of Sacramento.
This measurement shows a trend of declining water content in the snowpack. During the January snow measurement, the survey found a snowpack water equivalent of 2.3 inches.
The scant pack amounted to just 5 percent of the long-term average for this time of year at the survey spot. That's down from 12 percent in the last survey.
The snowpack supplies about a third of the water needed by state residents, agriculture and industry.
Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, said there were 6.7 inches of snow on the ground at the survey spot on Tuesday.
Probability of a true miracle March in CA in any given year is not a lot better than any one of the highest probability locations on earth seeing a total solar eclipse.
This just means people who don't know how weather works will want to go out early because the tree in their front yard is blooming. Generally a bad idea early season unless you pay attention to the weather were you plan to visit Sierra.
It's been snowing off and on in Bishop and Mammoth every other day. soooo.. Watch the weather.
Probability of a true miracle March in CA in any given year is not a lot better than any one of the highest probability locations on earth seeing a total solar eclipse.
Yeah, the last one was 25 years ago.
If you don't know where you're going, then any path will get you there.
I work for an agricultural water district, and we deal with the effects of this everyday. Not a good situation.Its not over til the fat lady sings, but she doesn't have too many weeks left, or it will be another miserable water year.
Here in the Tahoe basin there is virtually no snow on the ground. The lake is 0.2' below the rim of 6,223. If we don't get any more snow to help raise the lake level it will be a very dangerous/hazardous boating season this year. There will be a lot more beach however.
Higher taxes never reduce the deficit. Governments spend whatever they take in and then whatever they can get away with.
Milton Friedman
The one comforting thing about that graph is that is shows that the lake level is subject to a cyclical change. So even though we are "hurting" now, 2017/2018 should be the Winter to fill the lake back up.
Higher taxes never reduce the deficit. Governments spend whatever they take in and then whatever they can get away with.
Milton Friedman
