4/21/26 9:30am Update:
#Snow began early this morning and we've accumulated 3.5" (9 cm). We are expecting 1-2 feet total from this storm.
Right now we have moderate to heavy snowfall rates with low winds but speeds are expected to increase this afternoon.
#weather #CAwater
4/20/26 12:20pm Update:
The storm that will move into our area late tonight/early tomorrow is expected to bring 9-18" (up to 2') of late-season #snow through Weds.
Cold temps won't last long though as we expect to see average temps at the lab beginning on Thurs and throughout the weekend.
#CAwater
*cm conversions had typos. Here are the actual numbers:
1-day ❄️: 21.1" (53.5 cm)
2-day ❄️: 34.6" (88 cm)
3-day ❄️: 42.5" (108 cm)
The numbers were right in our data but we copied them to the website wrong. Must have mushy brains from working all weekend!
4/13/26 9:45am Update:
Plenty more #snow fell yesterday!
1-day ❄️: 21.1" (20 cm)
2-day ❄️: 34.6" (34.5 cm)
3-day ❄️: 42.5" (53.5 cm)
Despite still having a below average snowpack due to the record-warm temperatures that we've had all winter, this snow will help a lot.
#CAwater #weather
4/12/26 9:35am Update:
Heavy #snow started yesterday evening and continued into the night, bringing 13.6" (34.5 cm). That brings our 2-day snow total to 21.5" (54.5 cm).
Snowfall and low visibility are still present and we're expecting another 5-10" by tomorrow.
#weather #CAwx
4/11/26 9:45am Update:
We received 7.9" (20 cm) of wet, dense #snow over the last day.
Our next storm, shown coming on shore in the GOES-West weather satellite imagery, will bring colder temps and more snow (18-36") to us this evening through Sunday.
#weather #CAwater
*Whoops, 4/10 update. Typo.
3/10/26 2:50pm Update:
Cooler temps moving in means we're seeing rain change to #snow a bit earlier than expected.
The biggest benefit of switching earlier is that it'll cool the ground surface, enabling more snow to stick early on and bigger accumulations.
#weather #CAwx
4/8/2026 3:35pm Update:
Winter isn't over yet! Although we're expecting rain over the next couple of days, colder temps will move in this weekend and it will change to #snow.
There's currently some good agreement between models with current Fri-Sun totals around 18-24".
#CAwx #weather
An image of the ECMWF model showing heavy snowfall in the Sierra Nevada on Wednesday April 1, 2026.
👀 KEEP DOING YOUR #SNOW DANCE!
We are seeing highs in the upper 60s/low 70s.
The plot shows snow water equivalent at the Snow Lab (black line) compared to the minimum (red line), maximum (blue line), and median (green line). Shading ranges from: min to 10th percentile (red), 10th - 30th (yellow), 30th - 70th (green), 70th - 90th (light blue), and 90th - max (dark blue).
3/18/26 10:25am:
Our #snow water equivalent is now in the bottom 10% for this time of year.
The warm temps at the lab have resulted in substantial melt over the last couple of weeks that has accelerated with the record-breaking temps that we've had in the past two days.
#weather #CAwater
Melt-out is a term that we use to reference once all the snow at the site is gone.
3/16/26 10:40 am:
Record-breaking high temps are forecasted for the next several days, which will substantially accelerate snowpack melt.
Given current melt and lack of #snow in the forecast, we may see melt-out as early as the first week of April, ~5 weeks earlier than normal.
#CAwx #CAwater
🚨 Snow Lab Big Give Alert 🚨
We’re raising funds for 2 important things:
🎓 Training the next generation of snow scientists
🚙 A much-needed 4×4 field vehicle
Because snow science requires students… and occasionally a truck.
⏰ Ends tonight at 9pm
❄️ Support us: givingday.berkeley.edu/giving-day/1...
2/2 Certainly not ideal from a water storage perspective. Not much in the forecast in terms of precipitation, unfortunately.
*SWE is the amount of water that can be obtained by melting the snowpack.
#CAwx #CAwater
2/26/26 10:50am:
As expected, the ~1.7" increase in snow water equivalent (SWE)* from this week's rain was temporary and exited through the bottom of the snowpack.
In fact, the warm storm melted some of the snowpack, so we are now at 19" rather than the 19.7" at the end of last week's snowfall. 1/2
2/24/26 11:50am Update:
Plenty of rain coming down on that fresh snow but we don't have any flooding concerns at this time. To monitor real-time conditions across the state, check out the wonderful resources from the NWS California Nevada River Forecast Center!
www.cnrfc.noaa.gov?zoom=8&lat=3...
*The other two being December 1970 (113") and April 1982 (118.5") with digitized records beginning in 1970.
2/20/26 8:35 am Update:
The #snow has stopped but not before giving us another 18.5" (47 cm) in the last day. That brings our 5-day total to 111" (281.5 cm), the third snowiest 5-day period on record at the lab*.
Calm conditions for the next several days but a warmer storm moves in mid-week.
The forecast for this week has been spot-on!
2/19/26 8:45 am Update - the atmosphere is clearly showing off:
1-day ❄️: 25.6"
2-day ❄️: 54.9"
4-day ❄️: 92.5"
And in case you thought we were done… another 8–16" expected TODAY. At this point, the snowpack is basically building an extension onto the lab.
Send snacks. Or a shovel. Or both.
#snow
In the photo: our view from the aerosol lab/R&D room this morning.
2/18/26 8:45 am Update:
1-day ❄️: 29.3" (74.5 cm)
2-day ❄️: 57.5" (146 cm)
3-day❄️ (storm total): 66.9" (170 cm)
We have flurries and calm conditions currently but snowfall rates will pick up this afternoon and evening bringing another 2-3 feet by Friday morning.
#CAwx #CAwater
2/17/26 8:55am Update:
It. Is. Dumping. We had 28.1" (71.5 cm) of #snow in the last day and we're expecting another 2-3 feet by tomorrow night.
Anecdotally, the combination of low visibility, intense snowfall, and high winds have created the worst conditions since Feb 2023!
#weather #water
2/16/26 8:35am Update:
Our storm has begun and we have 9.4" (24 cm) of #snow so far with plenty more on the way!
Moderate snowfall is continuing with snow-to-liquid ratios of ~12:1 - lighter and fluffier snow than we normally get! Wind and snow rates will pick up this afternoon.
#CAwx #CAwater
*Typo in the email. Don't travel late MONDAY, not Sunday
2/15/26 10:05 am:
The biggest storm of the season will start tonight! Check out the forecast and expected impacts in the most recent edition of our email forecast here 👇
mailchi.mp/83c61eb794cf...
