Sierra storm dumps snow
A strong spring storm over the weekend dropped measurable precipitation across the Central Sierra and eastern ranges—bringing rain and snow to Sonora, Pinecrest, and Yosemite Valley while the eastern Sierra saw more than 3.5 feet at higher elevations. Local coverage reports the fresh dumps prompted Mammoth Mountain to extend its season after the weekend snowfall ( ).
A weekend storm dropped spring snow across the Sierra Nevada, piling up more than 3.5 feet in the eastern range and restoring winter conditions at Mammoth Mountain. (wsls.com) The National Weather Service put the western slope of the northern Sierra above 4,500 feet and Yosemite National Park above the Valley floor under a Winter Storm Watch from Friday, April 10, through Sunday, April 12. Forecasts called for 1 to 4 feet of snow above 4,500 feet, 2 to 4 inches above 4,000 feet, and wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour. (mymotherlode.com) By Sunday, April 12, the Sacramento weather office said another 1 to 2 feet could still fall above 4,500 feet, with snow levels dropping to 4,000 to 5,000 feet and snowfall rates reaching 1 to 2 inches an hour in some bands. The same system also brought rain into lower foothill communities and thunderstorms into the Sacramento Valley. (weather.gov) The storm hit after a punishing March heat wave that melted much of California’s remaining snow and pushed several ski areas toward closure weeks earlier than usual. Associated Press reported the eastern Sierra snowfall was enough for Mammoth Mountain to keep operating, with 11 lifts running on Monday, April 13. (timesofsandiego.com) Mammoth said this spring it planned to stay open through at least Memorial Day, and this week’s storm added fresh cover as the resort shifts to late-season operations. Its “Second Season” schedule says Canyon Lodge is set to close after April 19, with lift access moving to Main Lodge on April 20. (mammothmountain.com) The snow also landed in a bad water year. On April 1, Sierra snowpack measured near Lake Tahoe stood at 18% of average, the second-lowest mark for that date on record, even though the Sierra snowpack typically supplies about one-third of California’s water. (wsls.com) At the University of California, Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Lab, researchers measured 42.5 inches between Friday and Sunday and said the burst helped build a late-season snowpack, even if the broader water year remains well below average. Interstate 80 also shut down Sunday in blizzard conditions before reopening with chain controls. (wsls.com) For the Sierra, the April storm did two jobs at once: it complicated weekend travel and briefly reset the slopes. By Monday, April 13, skies were already clearing over Mammoth, with only a few more inches possible. (wsls.com)
