SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ The image leaves little doubt: The snowpack in California's Sierra Nevada is a fraction of it was a year ago, a withering testament to the ongoing lack of precipitation in the state's dry winter.
The National Weather Service tweeted satellite images of the Sierra on Tuesday, showing the stark difference between this year and the above-average snowfall from 2019. The mountain snowpack _ a crucial element in the state's annual water supply _ is 53% of normal for this time of year, according to the Department of Water Resources.
The immediate forecast isn't promising. NWS meteorologist Emily Heller said there's a chance of "some light mountain snow this weekend" _ perhaps a couple of inches at elevations of 6,000 feet or above. Even that measly forecast is uncertain.
"It's too early to get everybody's hopes up," Heller said.
Three years after the official end of the historic drought, the lack of precipitation is putting the state on edge.
California needs a healthy snowpack to replenish its water supply in summer and fall, when the precipitation disappears altogether and the state relies on water in its reservoirs. The state also needs moisture in the soil to tamp down the wildfire risk. On average, the snowpack provides about 30% of the state's water needs.
The current forecast, which extends through next Monday, doesn't include any rainfall in the Valley. It's possible the city of Sacramento could go through the entire month of February without any rain _ a first, according to NWS records. February is typically one of the wettest months of the year, with more than 3.5 inches falling in Sacramento.
All told, Sacramento has received half as much rain as normal this winter. Fresno is at just 51% of normal. Los Angeles is 77% of normal.
The likelihood of another drought remains unclear. Last winter was wetter than usual, leaving the major reservoirs in fairly good shape. Shasta Lake is actually 10% fuller than usual for this time of year, although Folsom is 11% below average. Lake Oroville is 6% below average.
The U.S. Drought Monitor, a weekly barometer of weather data compiled by multiple federal agencies, shows nearly 10% of California is in "moderate drought" conditions, mainly in the southern Sierra and San Joaquin Valley. A week ago, none of the state was in drought.
Another 37% of the state is "abnormally dry," including much of the Sacramento Valley and parts of Southern California, according to the monitor.
