The 2017-18 wet season in California has been dry.
But the state’s reservoirs remain rather high, thanks to last winter’s heavy precipitation.
Sierra snow droughts may become more common in the future, according to recent studies.
McEvoy said November’s atmospheric river event brought heavy precipitation, but high snow levels with little snow accumulation below 8,000 feet in the northern Sierra.
So the concern is that if the Sierra snowpack remains low the rest of the wet season, snowmelt recharge in reservoirs would also be low when water use soars during California’s hot, dry summer.
The spring 2011-12 season ended as a drought year, but was saved from being one of the worst (driest) winters on record by a wet and snowy March."
McEvoy said hopes for a miracle March in the snow-lacking seasons of 2014 and 2015 turned up dry.
Snow Droughts are an Increasing Concern Sierra snow droughts may become more common in the future, according to recent studies.
A December 2017 blog post from Dr. Daniel Swain cited several other studies suggesting the "ridiculously resilient ridge" pattern (when the Pacific storm track is diverted north of California) is becoming more frequent in the heart of the state’s wet season.
With California’s ground water supply tapped during the five-year drought not nearly replenished, all eyes will be on the rest of this spring to see if another miracle March can stop the state from sliding into drought once again.