California Statewide Snowpack Now Below Record Low Benchmark

http://www.wunderground.com/news/california-snowpack-below-record-low-benchmark

Chris Dolce
Published: March 24, 2015

Snowpack in California has reached a new low milestone that has not been seen in more than 30 years. It's just the latest chapter in the dire drought now entering its fourth year.

According to the California Nevada River Forecast Center, snowpack statewide was just nine percent of average as of March 23. That figure breaks the previous snowpack record for this point in the snow season, set back during the 1976 to 1977 season.

"That's not a typo, it's now in single digits," the River Forecast Center said in a Facebook post announcing the new low.

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This snow water content is very important for the water supply in California. As the snow melts later in the spring, it helps to replenish reservoirs in the state. As of March 23, all reservoirs near the Sierra Nevada and in northern California were at 60 percent or less capacity, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

Although northern California reservoirs got a boost from heavy rainfall in February, snow was confined to the highest elevations. This means the moisture-laden storm systems did very little to help the mountain snowpack.