The Sierra Nevada is in good shape with a better than average snowpack despite several weeks of dry weather.
The incredibly wet months of October and December have so far offset the very dry months of November and January. The Department of Water Resources says, as of Monday, the snow water content across the Sierra is 106% of average, and according to the first SNOTEL (Snow Telemetry) reading at Mt. Rose Summit southwest of Reno, a good beginning is coming to the water year. As California heads into a key seasonal period of precipitation, this is great news for state farmers and ranchers who faced severe water cutbacks in 2021 due to drastic drought conditions. However, there is a dry spell affecting the state currently, with only slight showers rolling into both Northern and Southern California at the beginning of the year, on pace to be one of the driest January months recorded in Central California history. While California remains in a critical drought status, there are some early projections of wet weather coming into the state significantly once again as early as March.
Forecasters even say advanced weather models are calling for a return of some rain for Northern California as soon as this Sunday.