{"id":134169,"date":"2022-01-04T22:10:16","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T06:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=134169"},"modified":"2022-01-04T22:10:16","modified_gmt":"2022-01-05T06:10:16","slug":"early-winter-storms-provide-202-of-average-in-first-snow-survey-of-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=134169","title":{"rendered":"Early Winter Storms Provide 202% of Average in First Snow Survey of Season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Phillips Station, CA…The Department of Water Resources (DWR) conducted the first snow survey of the season at Phillips Station. Early winter storms this month provided a strong start to the season and some drought relief, but California remains in a drought.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Anthony Burdock left, a Water Resources Engineer in the Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit, and Sean de Guzman, right, Chief of the California Department of Water Resources Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Section, are seen during the measurement phase of the first media snow survey of the 2022 season at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The survey is held approximately 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo taken December 30, 2021.\u00a0 Andrew Innerarity \/ California Department of Water Resources,<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Dec. 30th manual survey recorded 78.5 inches of snow depth and a snow water equivalent of 20 inches, which is 202 percent of average for this location on this date. The snow water equivalent measures the amount of water contained in the snowpack and is a key component of DWR\u2019s water supply forecast. Statewide the snowpack is 160 percent of average for this date.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could not have asked for a better December in terms of Sierra snow and rain,\u201d\u00a0said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. \u201cBut Californians need to be aware that even these big storms may not refill our major reservoirs during the next few months. We need more storms and average temperatures this winter and spring, and we can\u2019t be sure it\u2019s coming. So, it\u2019s important that we continue to do our part to keep conserving \u2013 we will need that water this summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Californians only need to look to last winter and the state\u2019s disappointing snowpack runoff due to high temperatures, dry soil and evaporation as a reminder that changes to our climate mean it will take more than an average year to recover from drought.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalifornia continues to experience evidence of climate change with bigger swings between wet and dry years and even extreme variability within a season. A wet start to the year doesn\u2019t mean this year will end up above average once it\u2019s all said and done,\u201d said Sean de Guzman, Manager of DWR\u2019s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit.<\/p>\n

December is the first of the three typically wettest months of California\u2019s water year. Significant January and February precipitation would be required to generate enough runoff to make up for the previous two winters that were California\u2019s fifth- and second-driest water years on record.<\/p>\n

California has experienced wet Decembers before only to have storms disappear for the remainder of the season. In 2013, the first snow survey provided promising results after a wet December, similar to this year. However, the following January and February were exceptionally dry, and the year ended as the driest on record, contributing to a record-breaking drought.<\/p>\n

On average, the Sierra snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California\u2019s water needs and the snowpack is an important factor in determining\u00a0how DWR manages the state\u2019s water resources. Its natural ability to store water is why the Sierra snowpack is often referred to as\u00a0California’s \u201cfrozen reservoir.\u201d<\/p>\n

As spring sets in, the snowpack begins to melt. Water that is not absorbed into the ground, called \u201crunoff,\u201d trickles into mountain streams, which feed rivers and eventually aqueducts and reservoirs, where it can be stored for use throughout the dry season. Climate change is affecting California\u2019s snowpack, as more precipitation falls as rain and less as snow. Excessively dry soils and dry, warm spring temperatures are also reducing yearly runoff.<\/p>\n

Due to these climate-induced changes, DWR is investing in partnerships and implementing emerging and proven technologies to improve forecasts of precipitation, seasonal snowpack, and runoff to support more efficient water management now and to help estimate the impacts of climate change on future flood and drought conditions. Forecast improvements and monitoring enhancements increase the reliability of data used to inform water managers about flood risks, allowing opportunities to create more storage in reservoirs ahead of big storms while also ensuring water supply reliability in periods of dry or drought conditions.<\/p>\n

DWR conducts five media-oriented snow surveys at Phillips Station each winter near the first of each month from January through April and, if necessary, May.<\/p>\n

Additional Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n