SACRAMENTO, Calif — Tremendous snowfall totals from the recent blizzard pushed the statewide snowpack above average.
The snow that fell across the Sierra provided an extreme boost to the Sierra snowpack following a slow start the winter. On January 1, the statewide snowpack was at 28% but now it is at 104% and the April 1 average, the date at which the snowpack typically peaks, is at 94%.
The Central Sierra Snow Lab is now above average thanks to the 77” (6.3’) of snow that fell. The lab is at 119% of average to date and 98% of the April 1 average.
Although snow will return Monday afternoon, it will be light in comparison to what fell in the Sierra over the last few days. As for totals, Sugar Bowl led the way with 10.4' of snow, Boreal 10', Palisades 8', Sierra-at-Tahoe 6.6' and Kirkwood 5.2'. Measurable snow fell as low as 2,000 feet and areas between 3,000-4,000 feet received 6-12".
Sugar Bowl is also leading in total snowfall this winter at 391". This pales in comparison to last winter's 615" of snowfall, but another winter of that magnitude would've created massive problems for the state.
The blizzard resulted in the closure of Interstate 80 for three days, finally reopening Monday morning. A winter storm warning is in effect through portions of the Sierra thanks to another push of moisture producing more snow.
Only up to a foot of fresh snowfall is forecast through Tuesday night, primarily north of Interstate 80. The forecast has been trending north so most of the snowfall will be in Plumas, Lassen, Sierra and Shasta Counties.
A weak storm this weekend will be the only storm on the horizon as most of California settles into a drier pattern.
