Sunday, February 26, 2023

Sun's out in Redding right now, but it's snowing hard over Highway 80, even at Whitmore Grade. The snowpack this year is gonna be epic.

 


8 comments:

  1. Whitmore is right around 5000'.
    The heaviest snow in the central Sierra is to happen between now and Wednesday. They're saying 7' of snow at pass level is possible.

    Mammoth Mountain has probably received over 3' since this storm moved in on Friday.

    It looks like they've finally reopened the Grapevine in SoCal after it being closed for more than 24 hours. And it's been a downright blizzard in Big Bear and Crestline in San Bernardino County during that period.

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  2. How much water is in that snow? and will it affect the Oroville dam?

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    1. Lake Oroville just today went into flood control mode, roughly maintaining its current level. Its level (830') is about 17' up the spillway gates while maximum capacity is at 900'.
      Showpack in the central Sierra is at 178% of historical average for this date so the lake should be full come late Spring.

      What the state does with releases later this year remains to be seen. Gavie says he's going to try to keep as much water in the state's reservoirs as he can but I'll believe that when it happens.

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  3. Here in Redding it is a bit of a wet snow, but not excessively wet. It's not powder, for sure. There is a significant water content. If Oroville doesn't fill, it isn't because there won't be enough runoff.

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  4. Wait. I thought because of global warming it was never going to snow enough in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Last year the San Francisco Chronicle said so. LOL.

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  5. Too bad there haven't been any new reservoirs built in the past 50 years or so, to take advantage of weather's variabilities.

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    1. Sites Reservoir is ready to go and literally paid for. But since they refuse to get going on it the only conclusion you can come to is that they don't want to build it because if the state has an abundance of water, it means we don't have a 'climate change' caused drought. It chips away at their narrative, and we can't have that.

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  6. Sad to be an Independent Truck Driver, looking at the picture. Have to keep going even when you should pull-off and find a safe place. Shoot spring is only 2 weeks away.....(;+)......

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