California's Largest Snowfall Follows Slow Start

by Missourism

Recent storms in California brought chaos with flash floods and landslides, but also delivered over 5 feet of snow to the Sierra Nevada mountains,

offering a glimmer of hope, according to Andrew Schwartz, lead scientist at the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory.

Despite the recent snowfall, Schwartz notes that the current snowpack is only at 78% of the median snow water equivalent, significantly lower than last year's 164% at the same time.

However, the recent snowfall has helped improve the overall snowpack after a slow start to the winter season.

Snowfall in February provided a much-needed boost to the snow totals for this water year, with some areas, like Lee Vining, experiencing above-normal snowfall for the first time this season.

Lee Vining's weather station recorded 28.4 inches of snow since the beginning of February.

Ski resort consultant Kevin "Coop" Cooper describes the winter as a "tale of two winters," comparing the abundant snowfall of the previous season to the slow start of the current one.

However, recent storms have revitalized the region, bringing much-needed snow and putting the resorts "back in the game."

Cooper anticipates that many resorts will soon be running at full capacity within the next 48 hours, thanks to the recent snowstorms.

He emphasizes the importance of this snowfall as a base-builder for the beginning of February, setting the stage for optimal skiing conditions leading into March.

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