According to the UC Berkeley Central Snow Laboratory at 6,900′ on Donner Pass, CA, which has been keeping precise snowfall records since 1946, March 2023 is the snowiest March in recorded history for the Lake Tahoe area.
The UCB Snow Lab has recorded 220″ of snowfall this March.
“This just became the snowiest March ever recorded in Tahoe! The Central Sierra Snow Lab has recorded 220” of snow so far this month.
This is also Tahoe’s third snowiest month ever, behind only January 2017 and February 2019. The record for Tahoe’s biggest winter is only 97 inches away…. will April bring more snow?”
The area has also received more than 700″ of fresh snowfall this winter.
“We have passed the 700″ benchmark for this season! We have had 20.7″ (52.5 cm) of #snow over the last 24 hours, which brings us to 713.8” (18.13 m) since October 1st.
We are expecting more snow today and then a break before more this weekend/early next week.”
– UCB_CSSL
Will Tahoe break the record this year? The deepest winter the Central Sierra Snow Lab recorded was 812 inches in 1951/52. That’s precisely 97″ away, and Tahoe still has half of March and all of April to get there.
About the UC Berkeley Central Snow Laboratory:
Located at Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada, the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory is a research field station of UC Berkeley specializing in snow physics, snow hydrology, meteorology, climatology, and instrument design. Built in 1946 by the (then) U.S. Weather Bureau and Army Corps of Engineers, it is now managed by UC Berkeley.
CSSL has a consistent record of precipitation, snowfall, snow depth, and air temperature for the periods of 1946-1952 and 1957-present. The Lab also has long-term data sets on wind speed and direction, solar radiation, snow temperature, relative humidity, and soil moisture. A wide range of other data has been recorded and used at the lab.
SNOWPACK:
- 216% = Percent of Average SWE (Snow Water Equivalent) to Date
- 198% = Percent of Average Peak SWE
PRECIPITATION:
- 715″ = Season Total Snowfall to Date
- 222% = Percent of Average Snowfall to Date
- 164% = Percent of Average Precipitation (Snow & Rain) to Date
Current Snow Lab Stats as of March 30, 2023:
