The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the second snow survey of the season at Phillips Station, west of South Lake Tahoe. The manual survey recorded 22.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 8 inches, which is 46 percent of average for this location. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR’s water supply forecast. Statewide, the snowpack is 65 percent of average for this date.

The measurement took place just as a series of atmospheric rivers hit the Sierra Nevada, bringing predicted heavy rain and snow.

On January 1, the statewide snowpack was 108 percent of average after a series of large storms in November and December boosted snow totals in the Northern Sierra, but significant regional differences kept the Central Sierra just below average and the Southern Sierra well below average. An excessively dry January has pushed the Northern Sierra back to near average, the Central Sierra to 58 percent of average, and has led the Southern Sierra Nevada to fall to under 50 percent of average.

The Natural Resources Conservation District tracks the SNOTEL measurements around Lake Tahoe, Eastern California and Nevada peaks. As of Friday, Mt. Rose was at 59 percent of average, Marlette Lake at 73 percent of average, and Monitor Pass at 66 percent. The Lake Tahoe Basin average is 60 percent of average.

“Despite a good start to the snowpack in the Northern Sierra in November and December, we can look back as recently as 2013 and 2021 to show how quickly conditions can change for the drier,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “California missed out on critical snow-building storms in January which has pushed the state down below average for this time of year. While we are excited to see some storm activity in the coming days, sustained periods of no precipitation can dry the state out very quickly. For each day it’s not snowing or raining, we are not keeping up with what we need.”

DWR’s electronic readings from 130 stations placed throughout the Sierra Nevada indicate that the statewide snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 10.5 inches, or 65 percent of average for this date. While forecasts show storm activity may pick up in February, California has seen several years in recent history with large early season snow totals, only for predominantly dry conditions to dominate the rest of the season.

California has effectively managed its reservoirs to keep storage above average for this time of year. Lake Oroville, the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, is currently at 126 percent of average for this time of year. San Luis Reservoir, which is jointly operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, is at 101 percent of average for this time of year. Reservoirs in Southern California are also near or above their historical averages.

If the current storm systems pan out as expected, readings at electronic stations should jump in the next week.