Blog: Winter storms blanket the East, while the U.S. West is wondering, where’s the snow?
… The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting La Niña conditions for this winter, possibly switching to neutral midway through. … When we look at the consequences for snow, La Niña does tend to mean more snow in the Pacific Northwest and less in the Southwest. … This winter’s forecast isn’t extreme at this point, so the impact on the year’s water supplies is a pretty big question mark. … The West’s water infrastructure system was built assuming there would be a natural reservoir of snow in the mountains. California relies on the snowpack for about a third of its annual water supply. However, rising temperatures are leading to earlier snowmelt in some areas.
Other snowpack and water supply news around the West:
- San Francisco Chronicle: Something big is blocking California’s winter storms — here’s what that means
- Tahoe Daily Tribune (South Lake Tahoe, Calif.): No snow in sight: Tahoe faces another 10-day dry spell
- The Aspen Times (Colo.): Colorado’s latest snowfall offers relief, but long-range La Niña outlook stays warm
- Reno Gazette Journal (Nev.): Will Reno have a white Christmas? Here’s what NOAA data shows
- California American Water: News release: California American Water prepares for aquifer storage and recovery program
