Pitiful To Plentiful: CA Snowpack Reaches Surprising Benchmark

SACRAMENTO, CA — California's snowpack hit another welcome benchmark this week, reaching 100 percent of the April 1 average with time to spare. Climate researchers use the date as the general timeframe when snowpack typically peaks for the year.

The late-season boon is welcome news for the Golden State, which got off to an exceptionally slow start to the winter before making up for lost time in February, leading up to the powerful blizzard that dumped 6 to 11 feet of snow over the Sierra earlier this month.

The latter storm carried the state's snow water equivalents — a measure of how much water the snowpack holds — over 100 percent of normal year-to-date, and smaller gains since helped California reach the April 1 target two weeks early.

Researchers at the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab near Donner Summit, which saw more than 6 feet of snow during the blizzard, celebrated the news Wednesday, noting the stark contrast to how things looked at the beginning of the year.

"Dry conditions are expected to persist for the next 7-10 days but it is great to come off the heels of a massive winter and into another where our snowpack has hit average," the lab wrote. "We have come quite a ways since 28% of average at the January 1 measurement!"

As of Wednesday, California's statewide snow water equivalents showed 100 percent of the April 1 average, and 105 percent for the date. Readings were highest in the Northern Sierra, showing 113 percent of the April 1 average and 117 percent of normal for the date.