Despite Storms, Scant Relief for California Snowpack

Satellite images of the northern portion of California's Sierra Nevada acquired on March 24 in 2013 and 2014 show how much snowpack has shrunk. In the image from 2014, the scar from the Rim Fire is clearly visible. (Source: NASA) When surveyors for California's Department of Water Resources skied back down from sites high in California's Sierra Nevada range yesterday, they brought sobering news: Although late-season storms have boosted the snowpack, it is still shockingly below average as the melt season looms. According to a DWR report issued yesterday, the water content of the snowpack is only 32 percent of average for this time of year — which is when it typically reaches its peak and then melts off. This situation, combined with California's minimal rainfall, means the state faces serious water shortages and a high risk of wildfire as the summer looms. The animation above shows the snowpack in ...