California is dangerously short on snow

[xchrom]

http://grist.org/news/california-is-dangerously-short-on-snow/

It might be hard for anybody suffering through a Midwestern blizzard to sympathize, but the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California is seriously short on snow.

That’s not just bad news for skiers and for the wintertime industry that caters to them. When the snow melts, it provides water to residents all the way west to San Francisco and south to Los Angeles. It also replenishes streams and rivers used by salmon and other wildlife. Less snow in winter means less water later in the year. (Meanwhile, L.A. just set a new record for the lowest annual rainfall on record.)

Officials measured the Sierra snowpack on Friday and found it to be storing just 19 percent of the average amount of water for this time of year. That matches a record low set at this time last year, suggesting that the region is at the beginning of a third straight year of drought.

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The Sacramento Bee reports:

The state is experiencing one of the driest starts to winter ever recorded, proved by the clear blue skies and record-warm temperatures that have persisted over the past few weeks. …

[XemaSab]

1. And the crops!

Agriculture is our #1 industry.

If we don't get snow, we're screwn.

[NV Whino]

2. The rest of the country is screwn also

Given that California grows about 80% of the nation's food.

[CountAllVotes]

3. Driest year since 1917

We are in a load of trouble in the Golden State!

[kestrel91316]

4. We've had virtually NO measurable rain here in the San Fernando Valley in the past 12 months.

Some small pavement-dampening storms, but that's about it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Attention Northern Tier DU-ers!

Pls send some of that white stuff to xchrom.
Share the wealth!

[elfin]

6. Plus the Colorado River is suffering drought effects

While Cal. has many previous water contracts for that water, it will eventually and inevitably decrease as Arizona and New Mexico rise up.