California Sierra Nevada Snowpack Essentially Melted as 'Warm Snow Drought' Hits

Key Points

• April 1 is traditionally peak snowpack day in California, but most Sierra snow has already melted
• Water scientists describe this as a 'warm snow drought' driven by climate change
• Even with average rainfall this year, the lack of snowpack threatens future water supply
• The trend shows more winter runoff occurring as rain rather than snow

Full Details

California's snowpack, which is supposed to reach its peak on April 1, has instead largely melted due to an extremely warm March, according to the state's final snow survey of the year. Leading water scientist Peter Gleick, co-founder of the Pacific Institute, said, 'This particular year is as clear an indication of the influence of climate change as anything we've seen.' While California was fortunate to receive average rainfall this year, Gleick warned that future years will inevitably bring both minimal snow and insufficient rain. The director of the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, Andrew Schwartz, called this year 'a perfect example of warm snow drought.' Climate scientists note that more annual runoff is occurring in winter months due to more rain, less snow, and faster snowmelt.