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dry

Lake Tahoe, CA Snowpack Currently at 3rd Lowest in Nearly 40 Years

California’s Sierra Nevada mountains are off to a rough start this winter. The Lake Tahoe Basin in experiencing its 3rd driest start since 1980/81. The Lake Tahoe Basin snowpack is currently at 30% of average. California’s statewide snowpack is at 27% of average right now. Last year, California’s statewide snowpack was sitting at 67% of average on today’s date. “While […]

WeatherWeather
WeatherBrains | December 29, 2017
1 Comment

B.C. Snowpack Hits Record Low For May

Summer hit B.C. hard and early this year.  With warmer temperatures and below average snowfall, this year’s snowpack is looking meager.  The provincial snowfall average was only 53% of normal this year- which is the lowest level since 1980 when record-keeping began.     Hydrologist Tobi Gardner of the River Forecast Center comments on the snowpack, “Basically the North just […]

WeatherWeather
Keenan Grady | May 12, 2016
3 Comments

The Driest Place on Earth, Atacama Desert, Chile | South American Ski Adventure Trip Report

When going to South America it is easy to get caught up in the euphoria of skiing powder in August while your buddies are back home roasting in 100+ degree heat. While the skiing in South America is killer, and a great excuse to blow off work and take off on an adventure, there is a lot more to South […]

Trip ReportTrip Report
Jesse Cassidy | October 8, 2015
1 Comment

“Why Is California So Dry?” | NOAA Explains

dry ca

It’s no secret that California is bone dry this year. In fact, we’ve been bone dry since December 2013. NOAA Sacramento gives a quick breakdown as to why we’re so dry in California. The reason it has been so dry in California has been an extremely persistent high pressure ridge along the West Coast, pushing the average storm track northward into Alaska/British Columbia. This leads to the question, why is the ridge so persistent? One possible reason is an area of unusually warm water south of Alaska and west of Canada, […]

SnowBrains | January 15, 2014
5 Comments

California 2013 = Driest Calendar Year on Record by 20%…

ca high pressure

2013 will be the driest calendar year on record. Not only is it the driest calendar year on record, but it’s the driest calendar year on record by a huge margin of about 20%. Ok, if you’re from California, that’s likely enough of that talk. What we really want to know is why. Why is California so dry right now California is so dry right now because of high pressure ridging. We’ve had high pressure in […]

WeatherWeather
SnowBrains | December 24, 2013
3 Comments

California = Driest Year Since 1921…

Driest year in california history

California is experiencing its driest calendar year since 1921. We all know that last winter was dry. It was very dry. So far this ski season, there hasn’t been any relief. Most of California is between 25% and 5% of average precipitation between January and early December. That’s not great. Sorry if this was depressing. Here’s to hoping for a big winter this year. […]

WeatherWeather
SnowBrains | December 11, 2013
2 Comments

Las Leñas, Argentina Conditions Update | So Dry, They Might Close Early This Year…

Las Leñas is having a rough season.  They got some big storms in June and that was it.  Since then it’s been dry and consistantly hot.  Consistent heat only means one thing in the mountains – snowmelt.  Everyday, Leñas is losing snow.  Las Leñas is at the same latitude as Los Angeles, California (35 degrees latitude) and even in winter, […]

SnowBrains | July 31, 2013
3 Comments

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