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drought

California Faces Water Thieves as Drought Worsens

drought

California has been desperate for water as a drought travels through the West Coast state. It is the worst possible time of the year for California, as it’s hotter and drier than ever, which is intensifying the drought altogether. With the dry period California is facing, people are more desperate than ever for water, leaving many resulting in theft to […]

Avatar photo Breya Bergom | July 26, 2021
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NASA: California and Nevada Are Missing 0.5 to 1 Years’ Worth of Precipitation Since October 2019

Sierra Nevada, snowpack, california

Mountain snow is like a bank account for water across the western United States. Snow that falls on the Sierra Nevada in California, the Rocky Mountains, and other ranges becomes a natural reservoir that slowly melts each spring and summer and flows down into the river valleys. The resource managers of western states count on this allowance from nature to […]

Avatar photo SnowBrains | July 15, 2021
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Warming Winters and Dwindling Sierra Nevada Snowpack Will Squeeze Water Resources in Parts of California

Climate change is killing skiing

Snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada Mountains provides roughly 75 percent of California’s agricultural water, and 60 percent of Southern California’s water resources. Warm winters can cause snow droughts in the Sierra Nevada, both by nudging precipitation in the direction of rainfall rather than snowfall and by melting snow sooner. A new study by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, […]

WeatherBrains | July 14, 2021
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Lake Tahoe is at Lowest Level Since January 2017

Lake Tahoe,

Amid drought conditions across the Sierra Nevada, the Lake Tahoe water level is now less than two feet above its natural rim of 6,223 feet. Related: California Snowpack is Currently 0% of Average for June 1st Tahoe’s water typically gets a boost from spring snowmelt, but this year snowpack was virtually melted by May 11 when Tahoe’s snowpack was only […]

Avatar photo SnowBrains | July 9, 2021
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Is California in a New Climate? A Stanford Scientist Thinks So

wildfires

Unless you’ve been under a rock for the last month, you know the Pacific Northwest just experienced an unprecedented heatwave. Seattle, Washington, for example, just experienced their hottest temperature ever recorded of 108 degrees Fahrenheit on June 28th. For Standford climatologist Dr. Noah Diffenbaugh, this heatwave that extended into northern California is further evidence of changing climate for The Golden […]

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Joseph Puetz | July 7, 2021
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11 US States Are Currently Experiencing Historic Levels of Extreme Drought

drought,

Eleven US states are experiencing historic levels of extreme drought, according to a U.S. Drought Monitor map published yesterday. 38.5 percent of the US is experiencing drought conditions, affecting 94.4 million people. “This current drought is potentially on track to become the worst that we’ve seen in at least 1,200 years. And the reason is linked directly to human-caused climate change.” […]

WeatherBrains | June 25, 2021
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Satellite Images Show Stark Reality of Californian Drought From Space

california, drought,

While you can never draw any conclusions about trends or the effects of climate change by comparing the weather in one year to another year, these two images, just one year apart, certainly offer a shocking view of the relentless drought that is gripping California. California is no stranger to heat and water shortages, but vast swathes of western U.S. […]

Avatar photo SnowBrains | June 23, 2021
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Lake Tahoe Is Currently at Its Lowest Level Since 2017

The water level of Lake Tahoe is at 6,225.08 feet, the lowest that the lake has been since early 2017. Related: Low Water Levels Prompt Closures of Lake Tahoe Boat Launches The lack of snow and precipitation this year means that the basin will be dry, and the lake is going to remain low. Along with the increase in beach […]

Avatar photo SnowBrains | June 4, 2021
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Utah Governor Asking All Citizens to Pray For Rain This Weekend to End Drought

Amid dangerous drought conditions, we’re inviting all Utahns — regardless of religious affiliation — to join us this weekend in collective and humble prayer for rain. Read more: https://t.co/uJzFARl7BI pic.twitter.com/HS755aXEy3 — Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (@GovCox) June 3, 2021 The drought situation in Utah is bad right now––really bad. 97.9% of the state is in severe drought. Governor Spencer Cox […]

Avatar photo SnowBrains | June 4, 2021
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Low Water Levels Prompt Closures of Lake Tahoe Boat Launches

Lake Tahoe Boat launch

Days spent out on the water are a summer staple at Lake Tahoe. When the weather warms up, people flock to the lake with their boats in tow, sights set on a day of cruising, water-skiing, or fishing. However, things will look different this summer as low water levels prompt officials to close certain boat launches at Lake Tahoe. Related: […]

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Alex Mangels | May 24, 2021
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Utah Governor Issues Executive Order Declaring ‘State of Emergency’ in Utah Because of Worsening Drought

Utah’s  Gov. Spencer Cox recently issued another executive order regarding the current drought in Utah. This time, the executive order puts Utah in a ‘state of emergency.’ What’s a state of emergency?  A state of emergency declaration is a critical step a governor takes in the event of a major disaster, or in preparation for one. The order gives the governor […]

Avatar photo SnowBrains | May 18, 2021
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California Braces for Another Devastating Fire Season as Summer Approaches

The 2020 summer and fall fire season was absolutely devastating not only in California but everywhere across the Western US. In California alone, 9,639 fires had burned 4,397,809 acres by the end of the year. To put that in perspective, that’s nearly half the size of Switzerland. A combination of burn threat and suffocating smoke made the 2020 fire season the […]

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Clay Malott | May 7, 2021
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Snow Survey In Sierra Canceled Due To Dry Weather And Low Water Supply

Mountain Range

Dry weather and low water supply have been affecting California and the Sierra Nevada region as of late. Folsom Lake is completely dry, and the drought-like conditions are worse than normal, according to spokesperson Chris Orrock of the California Department of Water Resources. Back-to-back dry winters with very little rain and snow are to blame. Orrock stated, “this year is […]

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Nick Retterer | April 30, 2021
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Sierra Snowpack Has Seen Biggest April Decrease in History

With an already particularly rough season behind us, the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountain range throughout California has now seen the biggest overall decrease in its size for the first three weeks in April in history. The Central Sierra snowpack, which was only 63% of average during its highest on April 1st, has now seen a decline to 37% […]

Liam Abbott | April 27, 2021
5 Comments

Drought Persists in Colorado: Western Part of State’s Snowpack Drops to 61% of Median, Bringing Statewide Snowpack Down to 79%

Colorado’s snowpack has been drying up in the past few weeks—quickly. The statewide snowpack, calculated as snow water equivalent, is at 79 percent of the to-date median. Part of this number is brought up by the South Platte River Basin (including Denver, Fort Collins, and Boulder) which sits at 100 percent of the to-date median snowpack. But it’s also brought down […]

Avatar photo SnowBrains | April 27, 2021
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Western United States on Brink of First Ever Water Shortage Declaration

Lake Mead water shortage

Water levels in the western United States are nearing historically low levels. Despite snowstorms in parts of the West, we haven’t seen enough precipitation to replenish water sources. Many man-made lakes have seen their water levels fall, diminishing reserves that supply millions of people. Projections show that levels could drop even more, which may prompt the federal government to declare […]

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Alex Mangels | April 23, 2021
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Teton Snowpack Peaked in February, 6-Weeks Earlier Than Normal

Wyoming, tetons, snowpack

Boosted by a record breaking February, the snowpack in the Tetons reached depths of 122″ at Grand Targhee, and 117″ at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort towards the end of the month. However, that was as deep as it got. Limited snowfall in March and April has meant the snowpack has gradually declined since then. Related: Jackson Hole, WY Reports Deepest Ever […]

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WeatherBrains | April 16, 2021
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Late Season Snow In Colorado Brings Too Little, Too Late

Denver, colorado

All of the snow that Colorado didn’t get this year came at once. Earlier this March, Colorado experienced its 4th-largest snowstorm on record. Some areas of the front-range saw up to three feet of accumulation. After such a dry winter, the snow was a welcome sight.  However, experts remain worried about water availability for the rest of the year. According to a 2020 study in Science, […]

Tony Miller | March 31, 2021
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Lackluster Rainy Season Leading to Worse Drought Conditions in California

Article By SnowBrains Meteorologist – Eric McNamee  2:20 PM MST, 3/30/2021 After a lackluster rainy season across California, there is a growing concern for drought conditions to worsen. Back at the beginning of the month, there was some optimism for a “Miracle March” since the overall setup was pretty active, with storms moving through the region every few days. But […]

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Eric McNamee | March 31, 2021
1 Comment

NOAA Spring Outlook: Drought to Persist, Expand in US West and High Plains

[arve url="https://youtu.be/ZGi__4sLSpo"]
WeatherBrains | March 23, 2021
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