So far, this season has overachieved in the snowfall department which has resulted in an above-normal snowpack across the entire region.
The pattern shifted over New Year's weekend as an atmospheric river of storms pounded California and continued to march across the desert southwest.
2023 started very wet here in Las Vegas with .62" of rain falling over a 2-week period. As of January 27th, Las Vegas remains above normal in the rainfall department by .15".
Record rainfall and snowfall blanketed much of central and southern California over a 3-week period.
Mammoth Mountain Resort, CA has already received 381" of snow this ski season and the snowpack in the southern Sierra Basin is at 321% of the January 27th average. The Sierra Basin as a whole is at 225%.
Locally here in Las Vegas, Lee Canyon Resort has received 123" of snow this season along with an average snowpack of 257% in the Spring Mountains.
The snowpack in Upper Colorado River Basin is a healthy 143% of the January 27th average. That's 33% higher than a year ago today. This is currently on pace with the 2011 snowpack which was 148% at this time. 2011 was a great year across the entire region in terms of above-normal snowfall.
The forecast heading into February is for COOLER and DRIER than normal conditions for most of the region. Not the best news in terms of adding to our snowpack, but if temperatures remain cold in the mountains, we should be able to hold on to the current snowpack heading into the Spring months.
Lake Mead has come up just a bit over the last couple of weeks, but not much.
We would need several winters like this to make a big difference in filling Lake Mead.