The Official Drought Thread

[Topper]

And more to come this weekend. Expecting 4-6 feet today through Sunday in the Northern Sierra and Southern Cascades.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

[bluegoose]

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/0...is-on-the-way/


My boss is headed to Tahoe next week. I would go too if I could.

And more to come this weekend. Expecting 4-6 feet today through Sunday in the Northern Sierra and Southern Cascades.

[Omaha 680]

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/0...is-on-the-way/

In a breathtaking shift for a state that had been mired in five years of punishing drought, 25 feet of new snow has fallen on Heavenly ski resort in South Lake Tahoe since New Year’s Day.

At 177 percent of average now, the Sierra snowpack is the biggest since it reached 207 percent on Feb. 1, 1995, according to state records. Since 1950, that year was the third largest snowpack, behind 1952, when it was 267 percent and 1969, when it was 230 percent, on Feb. 1.

This year, the Sierra snowpack so far ranks seventh.

My boss is headed to Tahoe next week. I would go too if I could.

[Moliere]

https://www.facebook.com/attn/videos/901254679909992/

[Northwestcoug]

Haven't heard much about California's water supply lately. Still pretty dire, or has there been significant improvement?

I did note that on our trip back, Shasta Lake seemed higher than what it was a couple of years ago when we drove by it last. So by my rigorous scientific observations, I would say yes.

[Pelado]

Haven't heard much about California's water supply lately. Still pretty dire, or has there been significant improvement?

[wuapinmon]

[byu71]

http://fox13now.com/2016/03/10/hydro...tahs-snowpack/

That sucks. Does that mean the climate changed or it really didn't change.

Does this include the snow we got the last couple of days?

[Jeff Lebowski]

http://fox13now.com/2016/03/10/hydro...tahs-snowpack/

[bluegoose]

We also had a really dry February , almost undoing all of the good rainfall totals we were enjoying from December and January.

This month has been crazy wet again, with tons of snow in mountains. Lassen park visitors center closed early the other day, as they were expecting 90 inches of new snow this weekend.

Shasta lake is now at nearly 100% of historical average for this time of year and is above 75% of total capacity. It is rising 4+ feet per day right now, and is less than 40 feet from the crest. If this pattern keeps up they are likely going to have to start dumping water out of the dam.

El Niño has been the real deal for us this year.

[wuapinmon]

El Niño has been a bust in Utah. After a very dry February we are below average again.

Don't worry too much, I'll be there in July for 3 weeks. La lluvia vendrá.

[Jeff Lebowski]

El Niño has been a bust in Utah. After a very dry February we are below average again.

[Omaha 680]

Several feet of new snow is expected in the Sierra Nevada mountains this weekend as another El Niño-influenced storm moves into Northern California.

In what some are calling a "March Miracle," the Sierra have been hit by a series of powerful storms this month. That's important because the Sierra snowpack is a key source of water for California, which is in its fourth year of a drought.

The storms have boosted the snowpack and replenished reservoirs.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/l...312-story.html

[bluegoose]

Bump. I'm curious about this in light of bluegoose's post.

Shasta Lake, the state's largest reservoir by far, is still way down compared to historical averages. But it is rising rapidly over the last few weeks. If we continue to get blasted with rain and snow like we have I would guess that it will fill by late spring. Trinity Lake, about 40 miles west of here, the third largest reservoir, I believe, is way down and they (Bureau of Reclamation???) haven't seemed too concerned about raising the levels the last few years. Crazy low for years now, even during our wet years 5 or 6 years ago.

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/products/rescond.pdf

[Northwestcoug]

So far so good, at least up north in California. Big Piney's hood is still lagging behind a little bit. Going to hit the slopes of Mt Shasta this weekend with the kids where they have about 70" at the base and 94" up top. Last year at this time they didn't have a drop of snow at the base.

Also looking good up north:

snow levels.jpg

And this is before some decent snow fall in early January. But we probably still need a couple more good years to recover from last year.