California’s Snowpack Drops Below Average as Winter Nears Final Stretch
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) conducted its third snow survey of the season at Phillips Station, revealing snow levels below average for this time of year. The manual survey recorded 34 inches of snow depth with a snow water equivalent of 13.5 inches, which is 58 percent of the historical average at this location. Statewide, the snowpack is currently 85 percent of average.
This winter has been a season of extremes, with unseasonably warm, dry spells interrupted by powerful storms that briefly boosted snow totals. In mid-February, a series of atmospheric rivers helped push the statewide snowpack to 97 percent of average, but dry conditions since then have caused it to drop back to 85 percent.
“In addition to the large swings in snowpack conditions we’ve seen this year, a big regional disparity remains between the Northern, Central, and Southern Sierra Nevada,” said Andy Reising, manager of DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit. “With so many of this season’s storms missing the southern half of the state, our statewide snowpack average can mask just how below average some regions are. Water managers will need to consider not just the extreme swings through the winter and spring months, but also the big differences from watershed to watershed.”
DWR today conducted the third snow survey of the season at Phillips Station. January saw almost no precipitation throughout much of the state, especially in Southern California, where record dry conditions fueled wildfire conditions early in the year. Atmospheric rivers in… pic.twitter.com/xfwThWOjh1
— California Department of Water Resources (@CA_DWR) February 28, 2025
DWR’s electronic readings from 130 stations throughout the Sierra Nevada indicate that the current snow water equivalent is 19.2 inches, or 74 percent of the critical April 1 benchmark, when snowpack levels typically peak. With March forecasts uncertain, it remains unclear if the state will reach a normal snowpack level before the season’s end.
A significant disparity remains between different regions of the Sierra Nevada, with the southern Sierra experiencing the largest deficits, sitting at just 70 percent of average snowpack. This variation will present challenges for water management across the state.
Despite the inconsistent snowfall, efforts to capture and store water have been effective, and California’s reservoirs are currently holding 118 percent of average storage. The next snow survey is scheduled for April 2, providing a final look at the state’s snowpack before the crucial spring runoff season.
