At UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, positioned at 6,894 toes above sea stage close to Donner Move, researchers accumulate detailed measurements of the snowpack every day.
There may be nonetheless some snow on the bottom to measure, however lower than they often see in late January.
The rationale: Extraordinary heat has been the norm throughout the West this winter. Many areas, from the Sierra Nevada to the Rocky Mountains, have skilled file or near-record excessive temperatures since November.
The result’s a snowpack far smaller than common for this time of 12 months in most elements of the mountains, particularly at decrease elevations.
“The story up to now on the lab has been that we’ve had a heat winter the place we’ve had loads of rain, not essentially as a lot snow as we might hope,” stated Andrew Schwartz, the lab’s director.
A pole buried within the snow in Soda Springs, Calif., measures snow depth on Jan. 15.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
Up to now this winter, the lab has recorded precipitation that measures 120% of common, however the heat temperatures have meant extra precipitation falling as rain moderately than snow.
As of Jan. 23, the snowpack on the lab stood at 61% of common for this time of 12 months, with about 2 toes of snow overlaying the bottom across the facility.
Different areas are faring worse. In elements of Utah, Colorado and different Western states, federal information present snow ranges at some places are at or close to file lows.
Throughout the Sierra Nevada, measurements present that California’s snowpack stands at 66% of common for this time of 12 months. There are regional variations, with the northern Sierra measuring 50% of common and the southern Sierra at 86% of common — boosted by above-average snowpack on a few of the excessive peaks.
There was little or no snow in low-elevation and mid-elevation areas this winter — a symptom of local weather change, as hotter temperatures push common snowlines larger.
“That’s the traditional international warming mountain snowpack signature,” stated Daniel Swain, a local weather scientist with UC Agriculture and Pure Assets.
Skiers and snowboarders cross over snowless patches at Large Bear Mountain Ski Resort in Large Bear, Calif., in December.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
“If it’s 2, 3, 4, levels Fahrenheit hotter on common at the moment, which it’s in lots of of those locations, that now means on common you’re effectively on the mistaken facet of the freezing line,” Swain stated. “You’re extra more likely to have rain moderately than snow.”
California’s snowpack has historically offered almost a 3rd of the state’s water provide, however the snowpack and runoff patterns are shifting as using fossil fuels and rising concentrations of greenhouse gases proceed to push international temperatures larger.
“The whole lot that’s beneath about six or 7,000 toes anyplace within the West shouldn’t be doing effectively by way of snowpack as a result of it has been file heat,” Swain stated.
However by way of California’s general water provides, he stated, the state is in fine condition this 12 months.
The state’s main reservoirs sit at 126% of their common ranges. Reservoirs rose over the past three years due to common or above-average quantities of snow in addition to rain.
Statewide precipitation has been effectively above common since October. In 2025, elements of Southern California skilled the wettest November and December on file.
No a part of California is at present experiencing drought circumstances, and even abnormally dry circumstances, based on the U.S. Drought Monitor web site.
A pedestrian walks within the rain in Lengthy Seashore this month. In 2025, elements of Southern California skilled the wettest November and December on file.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances)
“From a water provide perspective, we’re doing simply nice, and we might be no matter what occurs the remainder of the winter,” Swain stated. “We will take a little bit of a breather, no less than from a drought perspective. This isn’t going to be a problematic 12 months in California.”
It’s a really totally different state of affairs, nonetheless, within the Rocky Mountains, the place snowmelt sustains the Colorado River.
Throughout a lot of the watershed, the snowpack this winter is “abysmal,” Swain stated, with some areas now having file or near-record low quantities of amassed snow.
The snowpack within the higher Colorado River area now measures 61% of common for this time of 12 months, based on federal information, after the warmest November-December in 130 years of data.
That ranks among the many smallest accumulations of snow presently of 12 months in additional than a half-century of data, with solely 1981 having a considerably smaller snowpack, stated Jeff Lukas, an impartial local weather researcher in Colorado.
Within the decrease Colorado River area, which contributes minimal runoff to the river, the snowpack is now a paltry 32% of common for this time of 12 months.
Analysis scientist Megan Mason speaks to college students at a Snow Science College program held by the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Truckee, Calif.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Instances)
Large fluctuations from moist to dry are a pure characteristic of water within the West. However within the final quarter-century, the Colorado River has misplaced about 20% of its circulate, and analysis exhibits local weather change has intensified the lengthy stretch of principally dry years.
The river gives water for farms and cities throughout seven states, from Wyoming to California, in addition to northern Mexico. Its reservoirs have dropped dramatically as drought has continued and water use has outstripped the shrinking provide.
Negotiators for the seven states that depend on the Colorado River have been holding talks to attempt to agree on a long-term plan for chopping water use.
The meager snowpack may imply the lengthy drought within the Colorado River Basin intensifies once more this 12 months, Swain stated.
The climate may nonetheless flip round and convey extra snow in February and March, he stated. However primarily based on how far beneath common the snowpack stays within the Rocky Mountains, a full rebound appears most unlikely this 12 months.
