Sierra Nevada Records Snowiest Day of the Season From Brief but Potent California Storm

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: US News and World Report/AP

May 5, 2024, at 4:20 p.m.


TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) — A weekend spring storm that drenched the San Francisco Bay area and closed Northern California mountain highways also set a single-day snowfall record for the season on Sunday in the Sierra Nevada.

The wet weather system had mostly moved out of the state by Sunday morning, but officials warned that roads would remain slick after around two feet (60 centimeters) of snow fell in some areas of the Sierra.

“Did anyone have the snowiest day of the 2023/2024 season being in May on their winter bingo card?” the University of California, Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab asked on the social platform X.

The 26.4 inches (67 centimeters) of snowfall on Sunday beat the second snowiest day of the season — March 3rd — by 2.6 inches (6.6 centimeters), according to the lab.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2024-05-05/sierra-nevada-records-snowiest-day-of-the-season-from-brief-but-potent-california-storm

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. Is this good or bad? ...drought wise?

Probably not going to last long, but will this help with water in the Central Valley?

[BaronChocula]

2. It's been a good 2 years in general

This site tracks major reservoirs in the state. The majority are at or above historical averages. I've been going to this site for years and have never seen it like this.

https://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/products/rescond.pdf

[BumRushDaShow]

4. That snowpack feeds into the resevoirs for the area

Found this cool site - https://cnap.ucsd.edu/storage_in_sierra_ucrb/





Looks like they are okay for now.

[OnlinePoker]

5. As of Friday, South and Central Sierra were below average for the date

They had been at or above average on April 1st so this would indicate it's melting faster than normal or not getting new snow. This dump will definitely help going into the summer. The longer the melt lasts, the slower the fire season should be by August and September. Just about all reservoirs in the state are above average for this time of year so that's another bit of great news. I think the people in charge of forecasting California's water system said they don't expect drought conditions for a couple more years (though, with La Nina coming back, I think that may be optimistic).

https://cdec.water.ca.gov/reportapp/javareports?name=swccond.pdf
https://cdec.water.ca.gov/reportapp/javareports?name=RES

[OAITW r.2.0]

6. Sounds really positive....

[IbogaProject]

8. Always good

Except early plant killing ones. One thing that might be different is sublimation may be higher now then Feb or March.

[FakeNoose]

3. This is on the far edge of "normal"

Over 35 years ago I lived in upstate New York, and I can remember getting at least one 22-inch snowstorm on or around May 2nd. It wasn't unheard of getting a 20+ inch snow in April, I can remember at least 3 or 4 of those.

[Barry Markson]

7. If I hadn't been told better by experts

I would be thinking that the weather didn't pay any attention to forecasts, records, averages, decades, centuries, or climate predictions.

Seems to have a mind of it's own.

[FirstLight]

9. Water is good, blah blah blah

Sorry, but I'm still waiting for leaves on the trees and flowers and bees and butterflies...😎

[BumRushDaShow]

10. And you're up in those mountains!