… An “extraordinary and prolonged March heatwave,” was how Daniel Swain, University of California climate scientist, described the days ahead. It will “break records and decimate mountain snowpack across the U.S. Southwest, including much of California.” … Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources, said warm temperatures and below-average snowpack — statewide snow water content is around 53% of the normal for this time of year — are creating challenges. … “For public safety reasons, we have to release much of it to make space for flood control. That means we forgo having stored that water for release later in the summer, when rivers and streams run lower and warmer,” Nemeth said.

Other snowpack and weather forecast news around the West:

• The Washington Post: A record heat dome is about to hit the West — in March
• CBS Colorado (Denver): Winter basically skipped the Western United States
• Albuquerque Journal (N.M.): Record low snowpack reported in NM; temps could reach 80s across the state
• KQED (San Francisco): Bay Area, Sierra Nevada brace for unusual March heat wave
• California Department of Water Resources: News release: DWR continues to improve forecasting as spring heats up in California
• Weather West: Blog: Extraordinary and prolonged March heatwave to break records and decimate mountain snowpack across U.S. Southwest, including much of California