The water stored as snow in the 400-mile long range is now 185 percent of normal for the beginning of March.
Published Mar 3, 2017
Flying over the Sierras in a Twin Otter aircraft, NASA scientists are finding new ways to measure the amount of water stored in the winter snowpack with greater accuracy than ever before.
Published Apr 3, 2014
NASA airborne snow surveys provide key information for California water managers.
Published Apr 22, 2017
A succession of storms in January and February dumped huge amounts of snow on the Sierra Nevada.
Published Feb 13, 2019
Reservoirs, lakes, and mountainsides are brimming with water and snow, though scientists caution that underground aquifers are a long way from having the same bounty.
Published Apr 21, 2017
From brown landscapes to snow-free mountains, California was startlingly dry as a serious drought prompted a state of emergency.
Published Jan 23, 2014
The winter of 2019-2020 was much drier than usual in California, as evidenced by the dearth of snow in the mountains.
Published Mar 13, 2020
El Niño brought more rain and snow to California this winter, but not enough to offset the water deficit built up over four years.
Published Apr 14, 2016
After four years of shrinking due to drought, the largest reservoir in California got a much-needed boost from El Niño-fueled winter precipitation.
Published Apr 7, 2016
A low snowpack and warm temperatures pose a hazard for crops over the coming months.
Published Mar 20, 2018
Dark brown squares mark fields that would ordinarily support irrigated crops in California’s Central Valley in this vegetation image. In 2009, a lack of water meant that the crops were not growing well or the fields lay fallow.
Published Aug 16, 2009
Heavy snow from late January to early February 2017 could lead to flooding later in the season.
Published Feb 17, 2017Image of the Day Land Severe Storms Snow and Ice Remote Sensing
Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Life Severe Storms Snow and Ice
Groundwater supplies are decreasing across much of the world.
Published Nov 1, 2013
Thanks to a series of drought-busting storms, the mountain range has unusually thick and extensive snow cover this year.
Published Jun 15, 2017
An unusual atmospheric river should give northern California a buffer against drought as the state enters the dry, summer months.
Published Apr 13, 2018
Natural vegetation and irrigated farmland along the Snake River Plain in Idaho use dramatically different amounts of water during the growing season.
Published Jan 26, 2010
The Golden State’s largest reservoir has warmed and become depleted over the past decade.
Published Jun 26, 2015
An arid region grew even drier between 2003 and 2009 due to human consumption of water for drinking and agriculture.
Published Mar 13, 2013
