Despite some heavy rainstorms and squalls of snow in recent months, state officials say the Sierra Nevada snowpack today stands at 90 percent of average.
This year's measurements mark the first below-average snowpack since 2022, when it dropped to a dismal 38 percent of the historical average.
Last year at this time, the statewide calculation reached 110 percent of the average, and in 2023, the snowpack was one of the largest ever, measuring more than twice the average.
CalMatters reports more snow is on the way, however, which could make this year right around average.
Snow levels in the Sierra Nevada at this time of year are considered especially important, since they help water managers determine how much water will be available through the dry season, which typically begins around May.
Sierra Nevada snowpack supplies about a third of the state's water on average.
The average snow depth was 39-and-a-half inches, with a water content of 17 inches -- numbers representing 70 percent of the April 1 average for that location.
Throughout the state's main mountain range, snowpack averaged from more than 250 sites ranged from above average to considerably below.
