At UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, located 6,894 feet above sea level near Donner Pass, researchers collect detailed measurements of the snowpack each day.
There is still snow on the ground for comparison, but less than they usually see in late January.
The reason: Unusually warm temperatures have been common across the West this winter. Many areas, from the Sierra Nevada to the Rocky Mountains, have experienced record or near-record high temperatures since November.
The result is a much thinner snowpack than average for this time of year in many parts of the mountains, especially at lower elevations.
“The story so far at the lab is that we’ve had a warm winter with a lot of rain, not as much snow as we were hoping for,” said Andrew Schwartz, director of the lab.
A pole buried in the snow in Soda Springs, Calif., measures the depth of the snow on Jan. 15.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
So far this winter, the lab has recorded 120% of average precipitation, but warmer temperatures mean more rain than snow.
As of Jan. 23, the snowpack at the lab stood at 61% of average for this time of year, with about 2 feet of snow covering the ground around the site.
Some areas are worse. In parts of Utah, Colorado and other Western states, federal data shows snow levels in some areas are at or near record lows.
Across the Sierra Nevada, estimates show California’s snowpack is at 66% of average for this time of year. There are regional differences, with the Northern Sierra measuring 50% of average and the Southern Sierra at 86% of average – with above-average snowpack on some of the higher peaks.
There has been very little snow in the highlands and midlands this winter – a sign of climate change, such as warmer temperatures push higher snow lines.
“That’s a global warming ice sheet signature,” said Daniel Swain, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources climate scientist.
Skiers and snowboarders cross the snow-free slopes at Big Bear Mountain Ski Resort in Big Bear, Calif., in December.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
“If it’s 2, 3, 4, degrees Fahrenheit on average today, which it is in a lot of these areas, that now means you’re on the wrong side of the freezing line on average,” Swain said. “You might have rain rather than snow.”
California’s ice pack has traditionally provided about a third of the state’s water, but snowpack and runoff patterns are changing as fossil fuel use and rising concentrations of greenhouse gases continue to raise global temperatures.
“Anything below six or 7,000 feet anywhere in the West doesn’t do well in terms of snowpack because it’s been too hot,” Swain said.
But in terms of water use in California, he said, the situation is in good shape this year.
The state’s major lakes are sitting at 126% of their average levels. Dams went up three years ago because average or above average snowfall amounts and rain.
Rain throughout the country has been good above average since October. In 2025, parts of Southern California experienced the wettest November and December on record.
No part of California is currently experiencing drought conditions, or even abnormally dry conditions, according to the US Drought Monitor website.
A pedestrian walks in the rain in Long Beach this month. In 2025, parts of Southern California experienced the wettest November and December on record.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“From a water supply standpoint, we’re doing well, and we will be no matter what happens throughout the winter,” Swain said. “We can breathe a little, at least from a drought perspective. This is not going to be a problem year for California.”
It’s a very different situation, however, in the Rocky Mountains, where snowmelt backs up the Colorado River.
For much of the river, the snow this winter is “bad,” Swain said, with some areas now having record or near-record amounts of snow accumulation.
Snowpack in the upper Colorado River now measures 61% of average for this time of year, according to federal data, after the warmest November-December in 130 years of records.
That ranks among the smallest snowpacks for this time of year in more than half a century of records, with only 1981 having the smallest snowpack, said Jeff Lukas, an independent meteorologist in Colorado.
In the lower Colorado River region, which contributes less flow to the river, the snowpack is now 32% of minimum average for this time of year.
Research scientist Megan Mason speaks to students at the Snow Science School program run by the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab in Truckee, Calif.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
A large transition from wet to dry is a natural feature of Western waters. But in the last quarter of a century, the Colorado River has lost about 20% of its flow, and research shows. climate change it has sustained a long period of very dry years.
The river supplies water to farms and cities in seven states, from Wyoming to California, and northern Mexico. The existing reservoirs have declined significantly as the drought continues and water use has outstripped the dwindling water supply.
Negotiations for the seven states that rely on the Colorado River have taken place holding speeches trying to agree on a long-term plan to limit water use.
Less snow could mean the long drought in the Colorado River Basin will be stronger again this year, Swain said.
He said the weather could turn around and bring snow in February and March. But based on how much snow park remains in the Rocky Mountains, a full recovery seems unlikely this year.
