Sierra Snow Pack Still Above Average

A wet and stormy December followed by a dry, warm January leaves Sierra snow pack levels only slightly above average.

State water watchers keep a close eye on the snow pack. They say the water is critical during summer months when the state receives little rain.

Members of the California Department of Water Resources snow measurement team enjoyed the beautiful warm weather at Echo Summit Thursday, but they did not enjoy what they found. The snowpack is now only 79 percent of average after a dry January.

California Department of Water Resources spokesman Jeff Cohn says the snow pack in the northern Sierra is better than here in the central part of the state. In Northern Sierra the pack is 125 percent of average, but Central Sierra average is 98 percent and the snowpack in the Souther Sierra only has 89 percent of average.

Cohen says this is the third straight year of dry conditions in the region.