Experts Warn California's Snowpack Is Still Well Below Average, Despite 40 Inches of New Snow

The past week delivered snowy weather to California's mountains, improving conditions at resorts and giving skiers a much-needed, perhaps final, taste of real winter.



But the big storm wasn't enough to push the snow water equivalent anywhere close to normal, according to a post from the Central Sierra Snow Lab.



"This has been great to create a late-season snowpack," the lab said of the latest storm. "Unfortunately, record warm temps this winter means that we're still well below average for the water year."



Despite recording 42.5" of snow in three days, California's Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) is still significantly below-average. The black line in the chart below represents this season's SWE. Median is represented by the green line.



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Of course, the dwindling snowpack hasn't been great news for skiers, even if recent days saw good snow and a brief return of more seasonally appropriate weather. Only a small handful of California's ski resorts remain open, including Palisades Tahoe, Kirkwood, and Mammoth Mountain.



The implications of this hot ski season may go further, though.



Joe Tyler, the chief of Cal Fire, said in a recent social media post that California's snowpack is now between 10% and 20%.



That matters more than most realize, he continued.



"When the snowpack is low, that moisture disappears faster. Vegetation dries out weeks earlier than normal, and the drier the grass and brush, the easier it ignites, and the faster fire moves through it," Tyler wrote.



He warned that fire activity in California doesn't follow a predictable schedule, and that this year's conditions are a reminder that preparations can't wait.



Tyler shared a photo that put the situation in sharp relief, showing how this year's snow coverage compares to last year's.

The snowpack also plays a key role in California's water supply.



The state's Department of Water Resources referred to it as a "frozen reservoir" that supplies around 30% of California's water.



Department of Water Resources director Karla Nemeth said in a recent press release that the current conditions were another reminder that California's aging water systems "need to be retrofit for more volatile precipitation patterns."



"We're seeing fewer, warmer storms and shorter wet seasons. Future water supplies will depend upon our ability to capture water when it's available and manage it more efficiently," Nemeth said.



While the lack of snowpack could pose water supply problems in the coming months, the Chronicle reported earlier this month that most of California's reservoirs are in "good shape," thanks to three consecutive years that saw wet or at least average rain and snow.



According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, only small parts of California are currently in a moderate drought, while the rest is "abnormally dry" or dealing with no drought at all as of April 14.



The issue, according to the Chronicle, is when multiple dry seasons hit in a row.



"When I look out over the horizon, we're probably going to muddle through this year," said Jeff Mount, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California's Water Policy Center, per the Chronicle. "It is next year I fear more than anything else."

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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 10:32 AM.