Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
5h ago

California Snowpack Still Lags Despite Storms as Water Managers Signal Cutbacks

Officials are preparing reduced deliveries that reflect a below normal snowpack even after a brief SWE boost.

An aerial view of the snow-capped Tahoe National Forest is seen in Truckee (Nevada County) on Feb. 22, 2026. This month’s snowstorms weren’t enough to bridge California’s snow deficit. 
A woman in red ski suit in a blizzard June Lake, High Sierra, California, on February 17, 2026.
Image

Overview

  • Statewide snowpack measured about 66% of average Friday ahead of the month's third manual survey at Phillips Station, according to state figures.
  • Recent warm rain percolated into colder snow and refroze, lifting the median snow water equivalent from 70% to 75% this week, researchers said.
  • The State Water Project projects supplying roughly 30% of requested deliveries, while the Central Valley Project set initial allocations of 15% for major agencies south of the Delta and 100% for many north of or within the Delta.
  • Conditions vary sharply by region, with the Southern Sierra near 90% of average, the Central Sierra near 67%, and the Northern Sierra about 46%.
  • Reservoir storage remains strong—Shasta at about 115% of average and Oroville near 129%—but a relatively dry short‑term forecast and the shrinking window before the April 1 peak limit prospects for a major rebound.