VIDEO: California Snow Survey Reveals Below Average Snowpack, But That May Change Soon

Despite considerable snowfall in the Sierra during the New Year weekend, the water content of the statewide snowpack remains below average for early January. DWR conducted its first media-oriented snow survey on January 3 at Phillips Station just off Highway 50, three miles from Echo Summit. The snow water equivalent was 6 inches, compared with the early-January average of 11.3 inches. Statewide readings from electronic sensors indicate water content of 7.2 inches, 70 percent of the January 3 average. California normally receives two-thirds of its precipitation from December to March. Today’s readings provide a key starting point for the season but don’t indicate how the season will end.