The year may have started with a drought, but the end of the California storm season has caused more fresh snow to the Sierra Nevada, lowering the state’s snowflakes to 96% of the April 1 average, when the snow season usually peaks.
The near-average snow has allowed the state to provide adequate water supply in the mountains for the third consecutive year, something that has not happened in a quarter of a century.
“Earlier, there were some metrics that we might have a dry year, but luckily the storm windows remained open and were a good boost for us today in February and March,” said Andy Reising, manager of Snow Survey and Water Forecasts for the California Department of Water Resources.
This close to average winter follow Extremely wet and snowy 2023 and Wet 2024. At this time last year, snow accumulation accounted for 111% of the average.
The dominance of wet weather has given Californians probation, which suffered from severe droughts from 2020 to 2022 The driest three years Recorded.
Resin said the last time California’s average snowfall lasted for three consecutive years was from 1998 to 2000. By then, it had been 20 years since similar patterns had occurred from 1978 to 1980.
Since October 1, the storm has brought heavy rain at lower altitudes, with precipitation across the state at an average of 103% at this time of year.
Two wet years are still left California’s reservoirs are in good condition. The state’s main reservoirs are now 117% of the average.
Southern California’s metropolitan water district provides water to 19 million people in six counties, with one Creating water Store in reservoirs and underground storage areas.
“There are above average reservoirs at this time of year, which is a good sign of progress this year,” Lising told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday.
California’s snow cover usually provides nearly one-third of the state’s water supply.
The latest storm and added snow, prompting state water officials to rise last week Increase their predictions This year, the aqueduct will be shipped from the Sacramento Mountain Joaquin Delta to Southern California. Distribution increased to 40% of the required consumables, up from 35% a month ago.
The Trump administration also announced last week Increase water distribution This year’s Central Valley Project (CVP) is a federally managed dam and reservoir system that provides supply of farmland and communities from the Delta to the San Joaquin Valley.
Many agencies receiving water from CVP have already set to receive 100% distribution, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced that agricultural irrigation areas south of the Delta will now receive 40% distribution from The initial 35%although those who get water from the Friant-Kern and Madera canals will receive 100% distribution.
Federal agencies said in a written statement that it is seeking to “maximize” water due to President Trump’s recent guidance with executive orders. The large agricultural water areas in the central valley include Supporting Trump’s ordersdespite environmental advocates raised concerns that federal efforts to increase pumping delta could threaten already threatening fish that are already vulnerable Suffering from decline In recent years.
The Reclamation Bureau said it will “maximize pumping as much as possible in federal pumping facilities to move water to parts of the places where it needs it most.”
While large amounts of snow and an almost complete reservoir mean a temporary supply of stable water for California, officials and experts warn that the next dry spell could happen at any time.
Scientific research shows The drought is getting stronger In the western United States, the average snowfall line has been already due to global warming Climb higher on the mountain As the temperature increases, the runoff pattern will be changed.
In February, scientists pointed out that the snow was In many low-altitude monitoring locations, significantly smaller After several months of temperature, on the mountain.
This year also brought patterns of snow and wet conditions in northern California, with less snow and dryness in Southern California. As of Tuesday, northern Nevada had 118% of the average snowfall, central Sierra Leone had an average of 91% and Sierra Mountains had an average of 84%.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA, is Social Media Posts After Tuesday’s cold weather system left, “spring will start seriously in California” and in the coming days, things will be drier and warmer.
