California’s Sierra Snowpack At 202-Percent Of Average
Sonora, CA — In 2017, the heavy snowpack helped pull the state out of a multi-year drought, and this year’s amount is even higher.
Effective the end of May, the Sierra Nevada snowpack was estimated to be 202-percent of the historical average. At this time during 2017, the figure was 190-percent. The northern Sierra was around 211-percent, the central Sierra was 212-percent (includes Mother Lode) and the southern Sierra was close to 178-percent.
The numbers were boosted by a series of winter and spring storms. The Sierra Nevada snowpack supplies about 30-percent of state water needs. We reported earlier that the heavy snow delayed the opening of Highway 108 Sonora Pass and Highway 4 Ebbetts Pass until after Memorial Day weekend. While both of those highways are open, Highway 120 Tioga Pass still remains closed indefinitely.
