SACRAMENTO – (INT) - The Department of Water Resources (DWR) conducted the first Sierra snow survey of the season Tuesday (December 30th). Statewide, the snowpack is 71 percent of average for this date.

The results are welcome news for water managers who rely on the statewide snow surveys to make water supply decisions for the year ahead.

California’s statewide snowpack had been lacking in early December with above-average temperatures and very little storm activity. Recent storms have turned that around and provided a significant boost to the snowpack and the state’s water supply.

DWR’s electronic readings from 130 stations placed throughout the Sierra Nevada indicate that the statewide snowpack’s snow water equivalent is 71 percent of average for this date, compared to 115 percent on this date last year.

While California is in a better position now, it is still early in the season and the state’s water supply for 2026 will ultimately depend on a continued cadence of storms throughout winter and early spring.

On average, the largest snow-producing months in the Sierra Nevada are January, February, and March.

Story Date: December 30, 2025