Satellite Shows California Snow After Pineapple Express, But It Didn't Replenish Snowpack

Climate Signals Background: A warming atmosphere is causing more rain and less snow during atmospheric river events, leading to less snowpack, threatening freshwater supplies later in the year.

Article Excerpt: 

The Pineapple Express brought lots of rain to California, and Lake Mead's water levels are the highest they've been in a few years, but the Sierra snowpack is still below average, which could have serious consequences, officials say.

A below-normal snowpack this year may not impact water availability now, but it will affect future water supply, especially if the state sees successive dry years, David Rizzardo, hydrology section manager of the California Department of Water Resources, DWR, Division of Flood Management, told USA TODAY in an email.

"Climate change produces storms that are warmer than average, producing far more rain rather than snow at higher elevations," Rizzardo said. "This reduces snowpack totals, meaning that future runoff from the 'frozen reservoirs' will be greatly reduced and can impact water storage in the state’s major reservoirs."

Full Story: USA Today/Akron Beacon Journal