California's Department of Water Resources’ latest snow survey showed that the snowpack reached 237 percent of the statewide average for April 1st.
The snow survey at Phillips Station, about 15 miles south of Lake Tahoe, measured the snowpack at 221 percent of average. That’s the equivalent of 54 inches of water. And that has downstream communities bracing for potential flooding as temperatures rise this spring.
The snow survey also highlights a remarkable swing from the previous three years, which were the driest on record. Department of Water Resources director Karla Nemeth said this year's storms and flooding shows that California's climate is becoming more extreme.
Nemeth said in a news release Monday, “We have provided flood assistance to many communities who just a few months ago were facing severe drought impacts."