A spring storm dumped up to 3.5 feet of snow in California’s Sierra Nevada, prompting Mammoth Mountain to announce it would remain open until at least Memorial Day.
This came as welcome news after record-warm temperatures in March caused much of the snow to melt in the Sierra, resulting in the second smallest snowfall on April 1 since the 1950s.
Still, that snowpack — which serves as the state’s largest reservoir, releasing water as it melts during warmer months — remains well below average, at just 23% of normal as of Monday. According to UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.
Mammoth Mountain, one of the state’s most popular ski resorts, reported 20 inches of snowfall at its main lodge over the weekend through Monday. During particularly snowy years, the resort remains open until early August. Sixteen lifts were working there on Tuesday. A daily report warned that although the fresh powder looked attractive, dangers such as rocks and bushes lurked beneath it, so skiers should ride with caution.
Tony Fuentes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno, said colder winds are expected Wednesday and Thursday, which could bring a little more snowfall – up to an inch of dusting in higher elevations. But temperatures are expected to rise again by the weekend, “so I think some of the snow will peel off pretty quickly,” he said.
The storm didn’t help Southern California’s major ski resorts, which closed for the season.
This year’s early snowmelt has water managers in California and across the West worried as the region heads into dry weather. This has also increased fears that dry landscapes could fuel wildfires.
Experts say the early melting reflects the effects of climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels.
Hydrographers with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that snowfall in the Eastern Sierra was 24% above normal. This year’s water supply forecast is still expected to meet “about 40%” of the city’s annual demand, the agency said in a news release.
As of Thursday, 48.7% of California was experiencing abnormally dry conditions, and an additional 7.59% of the state was experiencing moderate drought, According to US Drought Monitor.
