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Jes Burns/OPB
The U.S. Department of Agriculture painted a dire picture of snow packs in its Jan. 1 water outlook report. That report showed that most Oregon snowpacks were well below normal levels. -
Mark Sponsler/AP PhotoScientists say predicting the effects of climate change on avalanches is elusive: Many factors such as temperature, rain and winds are altered by the changing climate. Lower-elevation areas may see fewer avalanches, but uncertainties remain about higher elevations.
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It’s a stark contrast to where the state was at last year, when a series of atmospheric rivers brought extraordinarily high levels of precipitation to California. -
This winter, researchers predicted record-breaking snowpack and precipitation would mean a reduced risk for massive wildfires. So far, that theory has held up.
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Warmer temperatures are melting the state's historic snowpack. Already flooded communities downstream are scrambling to prepare for the surge.
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During the final statewide snow survey of the year, researchers at Phillips Station near Lake Tahoe recorded a snow depth of nearly five feet. That’s 241% of the May 1 average for this area.
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It’s been a wet winter in California, one that’s brought record-breaking precipitation to many parts of the state. Now, state officials say it’s time to prepare for springtime runoff to come from now-historic levels of snowpack.
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Dozens of atmospheric rivers hit the West Coast this winter and California snowpack levels are soaring.
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Storms have been sweeping across California since last December. Areas with high elevation are forecasted to experience the brunt of this week's extreme weather.
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Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order aimed at capturing more precipitation from recent storms and storing it in the state’s groundwater basins.
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Another atmospheric river set to arrive Monday could worsen already severe flooding, as the extra rain and snowmelt threaten to overflow rivers and streams at lower elevations.
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California has two seemingly contradictory and potentially devastating problems:We have more water than we know what to do with — and more is on the way.We still don’t have nearly enough.
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Despite a parade of winter storms in Southern Oregon in recent weeks, hydrologists say it’s not enough to undo the effects of multiple years of drought.
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Californians have seen several rounds of bitter winter storms pummel the state since late December. Though those storms have led to flooding, blizzards and landslides, they've also brought much-needed rain and snow to a state plagued by persistent drought.
