While October and December had record setting Sierra snow and rain, January and February have proved to be dismal.
In fact, many cities have now ranked in the top 10 driest January & February on record. So, even though the Sierra did accumulate 2 to 12” of new snow with our much welcomed storm Feb. 21 and 22 it will do little raise California snowpack numbers which average 67% of normal.
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With our changing climate this is a trend that has become somewhat normal over the past several years. Checkout the chart below and you’ll see 2002 to 2011 60% of the time snowpack was above average. However, most recently from 2011 to 2021 our snowpack has taken a drastic turn with only 2 years ranking above average or just 20% of the time. While March could still offer us some storm chances, it’s unlikely we’ll see it push well above average.
The good news, new research shows we can all make a difference and avoid these consequences with substantial cuts in emissions and greenhouse gases. This is something we can all participate in by lowering our carbon footprint. You can find out more about our changing climate and all of our stories in this link.
