California snow survey finds ‘terrific’ start to season. Why drought concerns persist 

California’s wet season is off to a terrific start. But recent history shows the conditions could change dramatically.

The snowpack at Phillips Station, where the state Department of Water Resources conducts its monthly snow surveys, was recorded at 55.5 inches on Tuesday, a promising 177% of the average depth for the date and more than 70% of the average for April 1, typically when the snowpack is at its peak. This is a benchmark used to predict the state’s water supply in the drier, hotter spring and summer months.

Officials with the Department of Water Resources said they were cautiously optimistic with the results of their survey at the station off Highway 50. However, they noted last year’s early measurements were also above average, only to be followed by the driest January-to-March stretch in the state’s recorded history.

“While we see a terrific snowpack and that in and of itself is an opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief, we are by no means out of the woods when it comes to the drought,” DWR director Karla Nemeth said.

Statewide, the average snow-water equivalent is 17.1 inches — 174% of the historical average for this year and 64% of the April average.

The Sierra snowpack is vital to California, supplying an average of 30% of the state’s water needs.

Recent storms that battered much of Northern California, causing flooding and widespread power outages, were generally warm and did not contribute significantly to the high Sierra snowpack. However, another intense system arriving Wednesday is expected to be much colder and should dump a significant amount of snow in the mountains, DWR officials said.

Even with that storm, as well as others predicted to follow in the days ahead, the water outlook in California remains bleak. The state’s two largest reservoirs — Shasta and Oroville — are both far below capacity and their historical averages for the first week of January.

“No single storm event will end the drought,” Sean de Guzman, DWR’s snow surveys and water supply forecasting unit manager, said. “We need consecutive storms, month after month after month of above average rain, snow and run-off to help refill our reservoirs so we can really start digging ourselves out of extreme drought.”

This story was originally published January 3, 2023 at 1:01 PM.