SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sierra picked up more snow earlier this week, adding to the already historic totals seen this winter.
The most recent storm didn't produce a ton of snow as most areas saw less than a foot of fresh snow. With no storms on the way and the warmest temperatures of the year so far expected this weekend, it's worth taking a look back at the winter...
Palisades Tahoe picked up 10", putting their season total at 710". This is their new record, surpassing the previous record of 707" set in the winter of 2016/17.
Heavenly is now at 570", breaking the previous record of 564" set in 2016/17.
Kirkwood blasted past their previous record of 700" set in 1983 and is now at 708" for the winter. Mammoth (709"), Bear Valley (672"), Dodge Ridge (731"), and Boreal (735") have all broken their records too.
A few states over in Alta, Utah; an incredible 879" of the famous fluffy Utah powder has fallen this winter. Although Utah has had multiple ski resorts break the 800" benchmark this winter, California snow is much more moisture-laden and even though California totals are slightly lower, there is much more water contained within the snowpack.
The statewide average snow water equivalent (SWE) in Utah peaked at 30" while California average SWE peaked at 62" in early April.
8.7" fell at the Central Sierra Snow Lab, which is now at 722" for the season. The snow lab only trails the 812" winter of 1952, the only time the lab has surpassed 800" in a single season.
With so much snow still sitting in the Sierra, many ski resorts have delayed their closing date. Mammoth and Palisades even announced plans to stay open into July.
This winter has seen quite the discrepancy between precipitation totals in the northern and southern Sierra. The southern Sierra is at 319% of average, while up north that number is 212%. Reservoir levels have greatly rebounded from the low levels seen before this winter when drought was still dominating the state.
The record snowfall has helped California to break out of its three year drought and there is optimism the upcoming emergence of El Nino conditions this summer will provide the conditions for another wet winter next year.
