Satellite View Shows Dramatic Change in Snowpack

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Dramatic new satellite pictures are revealing how a dry February of 2020 has taken a toll on snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

As of early January of 2020, most of the range was at, or slightly above normal snowpack levels. As of today, the Sierra snowpack sits at just 58% of normal (on the right) and contrasts sharply with a similar satellite view from one year ago.

Of course, in 2019 the state was in the midst of receiving near record February rains and mountain snows. Still, with very little rain or snow forecast to fall over the next two weeks, many are hoping for a wet March to help salvage the state’s water year.

The good news is that water levels in most of the state’s main reservoirs are at, or above average for this time of year, thanks in part to last season’s late winter rains.

For the North Bay, the reservoirs that supply approximately 600 thousand customers are also doing well. Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino, are running at 90% and 117% of capacity as of mid-February.

Meantime, Santa Rosa set another record high temperature for the date, reaching 68 degrees on February 18th, beating the old record of 64.

So far as of February 18th, Santa Rosa has received 15.82 inches of rain for the current water year, about 9 inches short of the normal seasonal amount of 24.79.

Since January 1st, the city had received just 2.38 inches, far short of last year’s total of 17.21 inches over the same month and a half period.