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California Gets Another Round of Late-Winter Rain and Snow

Another March storm moved through California on Monday, bringing snow to the Sierra Nevada, rain showers elsewhere and gale conditions offshore.

A mix of winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories stretched the length of the Sierra and southward into mountain ranges of Southern California that were just coated with snow last week.

Caltrans recommended motorists traveling through the Sierra check for chain requirements.

Storm Leaves 2 Inches of Rain in Some Parts of County, While 18 Inches of Snow Measured in Julian

A late-winter storm doused the San Diego area with rain and mountain snow for second day Thursday, but a dry spell lies ahead.

Though the showers generated by the unsettled atmospheric system out of the Gulf of Alaska were more scattered and short-lived than Wednesday’s storms, they added to some significant moisture amounts across the county, according to the National Weather Service.

Historic Drought Deepens in the West as Window for Rain, Snow Closes

The year 2020 is going to be remembered for a lot of things, many of them not so good. Included in the not-so-good list is the drought that has plagued the West, lasting into 2021. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, which has published weekly maps since 2000, the 2020 drought is the worst, in terms of its geographical scope, in more than 20 years.

Sierra Snowpack Has Major Drop Over the Past Decade

Sierra snowpack is so vital to California as it provides one third of the state’s water supply and it seems more and more lately we are seeing this dwindle. You can see from 2002 to 2011 60% of the time the Sierra snowpack was 100% or better, a pretty good trend.

Drought-Stricken West Holds Out For More Than Just Dry Snow

It’s a picture-perfect scene — the snow-dusted Sandia Mountains providing a backdrop to the dormant willow and cottonwood trees lining the Rio Grande.

While the recent snow has provided a psychological salve to the pains of a persistent drought, it won’t go far in easing the exceptional conditions that have taken hold of New Mexico over the past year.

Why All that Snow We’re Shoveling May Not Rescue Utah from a Bad Water Year

Old Man Winter has been busy of late, bringing much-needed relief to Utah’s dangerously low snowpacks. But don’t let the piles of fresh snow fool you. After near-record low precipitation over the past year, Utah water supplies remain in serious trouble even with the recent return of long-absent wet weather.

Rain in the Bay Area, Snow in Tahoe: Here’s When Storms are Forecast to Hit

A series of storms will usher in a wet holiday weekend across Northern California, threatening to put a damper on outdoor activities and cause driving delays for holiday travelers.

As Storm Sets Up to Pummel Tahoe, Meteorologists Forecast a Future Without Snow

One week, it’s fires; the next, it’s feet upon feet of snow. In the middle of January, high winds and dry conditions sparked wildfires throughout California. Now, an atmospheric river is taking aim at the state with a huge amount of water. In the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe region, forecasters are calling for between three and six feet of snow by the end of this week.

Snow Blankets the Mountains and Winds Shut Down COVID-19 Vaccinations Near Petco

One of the biggest coastal wind storms in years walloped San Diego County Monday and ushered in heavy snow that blanketed the region’s mountains and driving rain that nudged wildland areas away from the precipice of drought.

Rain, Snow Arrives in San Diego With More to Come

San Diegans got a taste of winter weather Saturday.

“We were actually excited when we saw the rain,” said Forest Padilla, a San Diego resident.

The cold showers lasted throughout most of the day.

“It’s nice to have the rain every once in a while,” said Travis Robertson-Howell, a San Diego resident.

But it may be even nicer to have it a little more often. The latest drought map from the National Integrated Drought Information System showed much of the San Diego region is experiencing abnormally dry conditions.

Luckily it doesn’t appear to show drought in the area. The rest of the state isn’t so lucky. According to the map, drought exists in some way in approximately 95 percent of the state. The state was drought-free at this time last year.

“At this point in the winter it is still fairly early,” said Mike Lee, public affairs manager with the San Diego County Water Authority.

Lee says it’s too soon to raise concerns.

“Just a few storms can radically improve and change the water supply conditions in the snowpack in the mountains,” said Lee. “That can happen in February, sometimes in March, and even April.”

And even if we don’t get all the rain we need, he says the county has a back-up plan.

“Every five years we go through a rigorous planning process at the county water authority and with all of our member agencies across the region to ensure that even if we were to have three, four dry years in a row that we would still have enough safe reliable water to meet our region’s needs,” said Lee.

So for now, Lee says San Diegans can enjoy the wet weather as he expects more is to come.