A series of storms are expected to dump snow at the season’s lowest elevations in California this weekend, but forecasters say they won’t do much to add to the low snowpack in the Sierra Nevada.
Storms have already drenched Southern California with rain that will give way to strong winds and much colder temperatures heading into the weekend.
While recent storms brought record rainfall and heavy surf to the coast in the final weeks of 2023, they brought below-average amounts of snow to the mountains, putting the state in the midst of a “snow drought,” according to experts .
The latest snow survey at Phillips Station near South Lake Tahoe revealed a snowpack measuring 7.5 inches, with a snow water content of 3 inches, according to the California Department of Water Resources. That’s just 30% of the average for the date and 12% of the average for April 1, when the snowpack is typically deepest.
The latest storms will bring snow levels Wednesday night to their lowest level yet this winter. For Los Angeles and Ventura counties, snow levels will fall to the 4,500 to 5,000-foot range, according to the National Weather Service.
The swath of a cold system that passed over the eastern part of the state dropped several inches of snow in the Great Lake Tahoe area on the California-Nevada border. According to forecasts, 1 to 4 inches of snow fell at lake level Wednesday morning and higher elevations were expected to receive a foot of snow by noon.
In the Tahoe Basin, overnight snow levels fell to 4,000 feet. Some higher elevations are forecast to receive up to 5 inches of snow, with a very small chance of snow in Tejon Pass Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.
The rain system that passed through Southern California on Wednesday morning brought some precipitation during the morning rush hour, according to the National Weather Service. Over a 12-hour period, Leo Carrillo State Beach received 0.11 of an inch of rain and the Santa Monica Pier received 0.01 of an inch, while San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties received higher totals.
There will be a break from rain and snow on Thursday, with a weaker storm system arriving in the region on Friday and then a colder, stronger system arriving over the weekend, according to forecasts. This is expected to bring snow to higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada ridges, with some wind gusts reaching 70 to 80 mph and heavy snow and rain scheduled to arrive late Saturday.
“Friday’s system doesn’t look too impressive,” said meteorologist Tyler Salas of the National Weather Service in Reno. “As far as snowpack goes, we are behind on this year’s snowfall totals. The storm that is expected to arrive on Saturday will contribute something. “We’ll take whatever we can get.”
Closer to the coast, a storm system is expected to arrive on Wednesday bringing strong, cold winds. The swell will increase overnight, leading to the risk of strong rip currents. The Central Coast is expected to see waves of 10 to 15 feet, possibly reaching 18 feet, and Ventura County could see waves of 7 to 12 feet. Los Angeles County is forecast to see waves of 5 to 10 feet, with the largest swell on west- and northwest-facing beaches.
The latest storm comes just days after huge waves and high tides wreaked havoc on the coast, making cleanup difficult for beach residents.
The forecast for Los Angeles County shows little to no rain activity for the weekend, with forecasts predicting less than a tenth of an inch if the storms bring any rain.
“The main concern will be about strong winds and not precipitation,” said meteorologist Ariel Cohen with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
A wind advisory is likely to be issued after a winter storm warning expires at 6 p.m. for Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Times staff writer Hayley Smith contributed to this report.
