California’s snowpack every winter provides one-third of the state’s water supply. But in recent years, that snowpack has seemed to be dwindling.
Now, data suggests that there has been a sharp drop in California’s snowpack over the last decade.ย
From 2002 to 2011, 60% of the time the Sierra snowpack was 100% or better, which is a pretty good trend, according to NBC News.ย
But in the past 10 years, there have only been two years that have reached 100% snowpack or better. The last decade has brought some of the warmest weather the Sierra has ever seen since 1895, including the years of 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2020.
A rise in temperatures over the past ten years correlates with a decrease in snow.ย
This all poses questions: where is this trend headed?ย What can be done?
