CA snowpack at 18% of historical average after record hot March melts snow early

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — California is facing what experts call a warm snow drought after one of the driest months of March on record in the Sierra.

That snowpack is critical for water supply here in the Bay Area and the all-important April snow survey will impact our reservoirs going forward.

After a March that felt more like a July, the California Department of Water Resources recorded the second lowest snowpack measurement at Phillip’s Station.

They measured zero inches of water content and zero inches of depth for zero-percent of average.

The statewide snowpack stands at just 18% of average.

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“Since 1998, there have been only four years that have seen the snowpack peak in February,” California Department of Water Resources’ Andry Reising said. “And now, six of the lowest April 1 snow packs on record have occurred since 2007.”

Director of the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, Andrew Schwartz says that means our snowpack will not last until the summer, which keeps fire danger low and reservoirs high.

He says we’re still at 96% of average for overall precipitation.

“But the problem is, so much of that has come in as rain rather than snow, or if it has come in a snow, we’ve seen premature melt of that snow,” Schwartz said.

A dry snowpack is greatly felt around 200 miles south here in Santa Clara County, where Valley Water says around 50% of their overall supply comes from snow runoff.

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But if there’s little to none, it’s a warning sign.

Valley Water’s Aaron Baker says we cannot withstand another dry winter next year, but there is good news.

The past two winter’s were anything but dry – leaving many reservoirs at or around full.

The county will rely more on groundwater for now, but changes are needed going forward.

“We’re looking to, retrofit our reservoirs and move forward with our Pure Water Silicon Valley program that’s a locally controlled, drought resilient, recycled, recycled and purified water program to help us become less reliant on some of these imported water allocations,” Baker said.

Thankfully, if there was any year to have a dry year – experts say this was the best.