Good news for California’s water supply: Big Sierra Nevada snow pack boost over past month
Heavy snow storms in January increased snow totals, reducing chances of any summer water shortages
California’s statewide Sierra Nevada snow pack was exactly 100 percent of its historical average Thursday — precisely normal for this date, with roughly two months left in the winter snow season.
While that might sound mediocre, it’s a big jump from a month ago. On Jan. 1, the snow pack was just 69 percent of its historical average. And a year ago on Jan. 31, it was only 18 percent of normal.[And the good news keeps coming...Just here in the city we already have another inch and a half of rain since Feb. 1st, with more storm systems coming in through Tuesday.]
How much snow falls every winter is critical to California’s water picture. The snow, which forms a vast “frozen reservoir” over the state’s 400-mile long Sierra mountain range, provides nearly one-third of the water supply for cities and farms as it slowly melts in the spring and summer, sending billions of gallons of fresh water flowing down dozens of rivers and streams into reservoirs.
It also is key to the state’s ski industry, which suffered significantly during the 2012-16 drought. That event also increased wildfire risks, caused agricultural losses and triggered residential water cutbacks from San Diego to the Bay Area.
“Being at the historical average is good,” said Chris Orrock, a spokesman for the state Department of Water Resources, on Thursday. “We just had a 10-day dry spell, and we’re basically right where we should be, with more snow coming in this weekend.”
The rainfall situation out here was much worse when Obama was President; there must be a connection...
Well Ms Huckabee Sanders, who is never wrong, has told us that Donald Trump was sent by God to save us, which makes him kind of like Jesus. All he has to do is ask his Dad to make it rain - it wouldn't be the first time.
If we could just convince him to try that 'walking on water' thing I'd be happy. A mile or two out to sea would be enough.
My understanding is that Lucifer was not "sent" to earth, but cast out of heaven. A slight difference, but I do not think there was an intent to send him to earth to cause problems, although it seems the stories said this is what happened. Also, there are differences of opinion as to whether Lucifer is actually Satan, or was corrupted by Satan depending on the biblical interpretation (in Ezekial as I recall). I guess it ultimately depends as to whether you believe in a personification of evil or not, but it is a good story. Maybe someone will write a further one about Trump in the future--another evil ruler akin to lucifer. I'd suggest calling hi Shitifer, the bearer of shit.
Lucifer was cast out of Heaven to Earth. God had the entire universe to cast him out into and he chose earth. "For god so loved the world" he gave us Lucifer.
And Lucifer took 1/3rd of the angels with him rather undercutting the idea that god is all-powerful or even all-persuasive.
Since humans were created " a little lower than the angels", god cursed us with superior beings devoted to evil who never die. What a religion!
It will be rain for the Bay Area, then change to snow as it reaches the higher and colder regions of the Sierra Nevada...
Good news for both localities that rely on more local reservoirs and others (Like San Francisco) that get their water from the High Sierra snow melt (a lot of the water produced from that snow melt also goes to Central and Southern California):
Rainfall totals across Northern California continue to creep closer to average for this time of year. Through Sunday at 6 p.m., rainfall totals for the water year which began Oct. 1 include Redding at 21.24 inches (109 percent of normal), Santa Rosa at 19.23 inches (90 percent), San Francisco 12.22 inches (88 percent), Oakland 9.42 inches (81 percent) and San Jose 7.42 inches (87 percent).
Monday, the statewide Sierra Nevada snow pack level — a key source of California’s summer water supply — increased to 115 percent of its historical average, up from 69 percent on New Year’s Day. And with a blizzard warning in effect through Monday at 10 p.m., that percentage is likely to increase. [The additional seven feet of snow pack that Long Run mentioned.]
“The encouraging thing is, compared to last year, we’re doing significantly better,” said Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services. “The pattern for the next week, we’re certainly not going to flip into a dry pattern. There will be a few dry days after tomorrow, but then it looks like we’re back into a wet pattern.”
nce humans were created " a little lower than the angels"
Depends what biblical translation you use--thee oringial Hebrew Psalm says "lower than god" not the angels--although Paul quotes the greek verse and uses angels when referring to the Psalm for his letter to the Hebrews. It is hardly a tenet of christianity or judaism.
As for Lucifer, there is no statement that god sent him to earth-if there really is a lucifer (and it is not just a story to illustrate a point--the bible is fully of these), maybe he chose to go to earth. As for 1/3 of the angels, the only reference is in Hebrews which refers to 1/3 of a company of angels, not necessarily all of them.
I've been looking for an excuse to post the original since I posted Randy's parody...This digression discussion about Lucifer looks like an appropriate spot...
48-hour rainfall totals: One spot in the North Bay recorded 12 inches
By Amy Graff, SFGATE Updated 6:58 am PST, Thursday, February 14, 2019
A wet winter storm pulling moisture from the South Pacific soaked the Bay Area and delivered impressive rainfall totals from Tuesday night through Thursday morning. The so-called atmospheric river triggered mudslides and flooding throughout the region.
Venado, an unincorporated town under a lush canopy of redwoods in the mountains of Sonoma County, holds the record for the storm, measuring 12.44 inches in 48 hours. Venado, 10 miles west of Healdsburg, often records the highest rainfall in storms.
"It's up in the hills, so it benefits a lot from that upslope rain," Anna Schneider, a meteorologist with the Bay Area National Weather Service, told SFGATE in January when the location recorded 10 inches in four days. "You get the lifting on the mountains and that squeezes rains from the clouds and produces more rain."
In general, mountain areas saw the heaviest soakings. South Bay peak Mount Umunhum recorded 6.65 inches, Cazadero on the Russian River 6.28, Ben Lomond in the Santa Cruz Mountains 5.92, The Peaks in Big Sur 5.63 and Mount Tamalpais in Marin County 5.19.
MORE: California resort announces plans to keep slopes open til July 4
Sonoma and Napa counties saw the most rain with the deluge focused to the north, and most locations at lower elevations on the coast and in valleys in the central Bay Area saw about one inch to two inches. San Francisco was an exception, recording 3.13 inches.
And it's coming down again with more expected through Saturday...
Tropical storm slamming into Bay Area prompts flood, high wind advisories
A major storm slamming into the Bay Area has raised flood concerns less than two weeks after sustained downpours caused overflowing rivers, mudslides and road closures across the region.
Officials on Monday were expecting heavy snowfall in the Sierra, while creeks and local rivers could crest their banks. The National Weather Service issued several flood and wind advisories, including a flash flood watch into late Tuesday night for San Francisco, the East Bay and the South Bay, as well as a flood watch for Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties.
Four inches of rain could fall on San Francisco and the major metro area, while 6 to 12 inches could pelt the higher terrains of the North Bay hills and Santa Cruz Mountains. The highest Bay Area peaks could see up to 15 inches of rain, forecasters said.
This week’s storm is different from others seen this winter, because it’s a warm system, said Matt Mehle, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
“The other systems we’ve had earlier in the month have been colder — there was snow mentioned for the hills,” he said. “This is more of a tropical system, and the air mass is warmer.”
Rain brought on by the atmospheric river will pummel the region all of Tuesday and part of Wednesday,[It's already started]which could cause some waterways — still nearly full from the recent storms — to overflow, officials said.
In the Sierra, officials predicted 2 to 4 feet of snow at the Lake Tahoe basin and 4 to 8 feet at elevations higher than 5,000 feet. Gusts up to 60 mph could pose a hazard for large vehicles traveling through the mountain passes.
Whiteout conditions, which caused Interstate 80 to be shut down during the last storm, are again a concern due to the high winds. The mountain passes are expected to see heavy snow that will increase the already bulging snowpack, which is at 141 percent of average for the year.
“Compared to last winter, it’s an almost night and day difference,” said Cory Mueller, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
The storm also will push rainfall totals even further above normal for the year, Mehle said. Since Jan. 1, every location the weather service measures in the area has received higher than expected rainfall amounts.
As of Monday, San Francisco had reached 137 percent of its normal water level since the beginning of the year. Monterey, which sits on the high end of cities tracked by the weather service, was nearly 200 percent of normal, officials said.
Having already set new monthly snowfall records at Lake Tahoe ski resorts, February appears poised to close out with a bang.
A three-day winter storm could bring up to 4 feet of snow at lake level, as much as 8 feet of snow above 7,000 feet and wind gusts as strong as 140 mph over Sierra ridges.
* * *
This storm caps a month packed with heavy winter storms. Numerous resorts throughout the Tahoe region reported new monthly snowfall records for February about halfway through the month. Lake Tahoe holds the best snowpack in the western U.S.
My money is on a hot dry summer and Al-Qaeda and their weather balloon launched time delayed fire bombs. If they tried hard enough they could burn down entire state that would make for some entertaining news reports. Now that would be entertainment. I need to stock up on popcorn.
It might be possible to launch the balloons from off shore and never enter US territorial waters.
I expected to be placed in an air force combat position such as security police, forward air control, pararescue or E.O.D. I would have liked dog handler. I had heard about the dog Nemo and was highly impressed. “SFB” is sad I didn’t end up in E.O.D.
