Sierra snowpack at healthy 98% of average, easing concerns of water shortage this summer

PHILLIPS, Calif. - Under blue skies Thursday, January 31,the monthly snowpack measurement was conducted in Phillips, southwest of Lake Tahoe at the base of Sierra-at-Tahoe, and its good news.

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) snow survey team measured 50 inches of snow with a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 18 inches, almost double from a month ago.

Back on January 3, 2019, when DWR measured at the same spot, they found 25.5 inches of snow with an SWE of nine inches. The SWE is how much water would be expected if all of the snow melted at one time.

These new totals are 98 percent of normal for this date and 71 percent of the April 1 average.

The snow course at Phillips is just one of over 260 throughout the state. Records have been kept since the first reading there in 1964. Measurements on the top of Mt. Rose have been taken since 1906.

"This is a significant increase since the last survey," said water engineer John King at Phillips on Thursday. "It's very encouraging and we still have two more months," he added, talking about the March and April snowpack measurements.

Water managers up and down the state watch these monthly measurements so they make decisions on the water supply downstream. Also important is the amount of snow prior to spring so the reservoirs can be at the right height to allow for flood storage.

Statewide the snowpack is 100 percent of average.

"It is comforting to have an average measurement...haven't had that in a while," said DWR. "One thing that is constant in California is that the climate is never constant...we have dry years, heavy snowpack years, wet years."

Also encouraging is the storm due in the Sierra this weekend.

DWR will be at the same spot to measure the snow at the end of February.