California’s in for Summer Water Shortages After Officials Find Just 2.5 Inches of Snowpack

The snowpack in California is dangerously low after one of thedriest wintersin 128 years .

California Department of Water Resources official set out last week to conduct the annual snowpack measurement at Phillips Station , just south of Lake Tahoe . They found only 2.5 inches of snowfall in the field , when middling coke deepness for the end of winter is about 5 foundation there , the section said in astatement . Statewide , snow levels are just 38 % of what they would normally be at this time of year , officials said .

“ The conditions we are realize today talk to how severe our drouth stay . DWR has been plan for the reality of a third juiceless year since the start of the water year on October 1 , ” said Karla Nemeth , the DWR director .

The lightly snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains on February 20, 2022 near Lone Pine, California.

The lightly snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains on 1 February 2025 near Lone Pine, California.Photo: Mario Tama (Getty Images)

There was some hope that this year would see a enough level of snowpack after17 feet of snowfell over the Sierra Nevada mountains this retiring December . This broke several record , but that hope was short live when only 9 column inch of snow fall in January , follow by gloomy snow in February and March . Just last week , the California Nevada River Forecast Center said that this was the driest January through March period on record for the state , establish on information from three transcription stations . “ Unfortunately another below normal [ precipitation ] month , ” theagency tweeted .

Snow is a crucial source of water for the region , after it melts and get its way to reservoir in the spring . Snowpack in California ’s mountains makes up 30 % of the state ’s water , accordingto the Department of Water Resources . Governor Gavin Newsom recentlyorderedlocal water suppliers to begin aggressive conservation plan .

Last month , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that 60 % of the continental U.S. will experiencedrought conditions this spring . The exceptionally ironical , almost snowless wintertime is a symptom of what has been declared the worst drought the North American Southwest has experienced in1,200 years . concord to theU.S. Drought Monitor , all of California is currently see abnormally dry conditions , and 93 % of the state is experiencing severe drought conditions .

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