Is California's Drought Returning? Snowpack Nears 2015's Historic Lows

"The snow in the Sierra Nevada, source of about a third of the state's water supply, is only at 27 percent of normal."

"The snowpack that's essential for California's water supply is at critically low levels again this year—approaching the historic lows of the state's prolonged drought, which officially ended in 2016.

On Thursday, researchers from the state's Department of Water Resources headed into the Sierra Nevada to measure water content and snow levels at the Phillips Station near Lake Tahoe. The annual event, while something of photo op, is an opportunity to alert California residents if they'll need to conserve water in the coming months.

"This year it's going to be pretty stark," said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA. "There's not going to be a lot of snow on the ground.""

Georgina Gustin reports for InsideClimate News February 1, 2019.