UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab

The plot shows snow water equivalent at CSSL (black line) compared to the min (red line), max (blue line), and median (green line). Shading ranges from: min to 10th percentile (red), 10th - 30th (yellow), 30th - 70th (green), 70th - 90th (light blue), and 90th - max (dark blue).

3/18/26 10:25am: Our #snow water equivalent is now in the bottom 10% for this time of year. The warm temps have resulted in substantial melt over the last couple of weeks that has accelerated with the record-breaking temps we've had in the past two days. #weather #CAwater

3/16/26 10:40 am: Record-breaking high temps are forecasted for the next several days, which will accelerate snowpack melt. Given current melt and lack of #snow in the forecast, we may see melt-out as early as the first week of April, ~5 weeks earlier than normal. #CAwx

@DebMurphy57 Have we told you that you're the best? Because you are - you're the best. Thank you!

@UCB_CSSL Happy to support! 🫶

🚨 Snow Lab Big Give Alert 🚨 We’re raising funds for 2 important things: 🎓 Training the next gen of snow scientists 🚙 A much-needed field vehicle Because snow science requires students… and occasionally a truck. ⏰ Ends tonight at 9pm ❄️ Support: tinyurl.com/givecssl

2/2 Certainly not ideal from a water storage perspective. Not much in the forecast in terms of precipitation, unfortunately. *SWE is the amount of water that can be obtained by melting the snowpack. #CAwx #CAwater

2/26/26 10:50am: As expected, the ~1.7" increase in SWE* from this week's rain was temporary and exited through the bottom of the snowpack. In fact, the warm storm melted some of the snowpack, so we are now at 19" rather than the 19.7" at the end of last week's snowfall. 1/2

*The other two being December 1970 (113") and April 1982 (118.5") with digitized records beginning in 1970.

2/20/26 8:35 am Update: #snow has stopped but not before giving us 18.5" (47 cm) in the last day. That brings our 5-day total to 111" (281.5 cm), third snowiest 5-day period on record at the lab*. Calm conditions for the next several days but a warmer storm moves in mid-week.

@Jen_Hauser Yes, this our video. Feel free to use with credit to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.

@UCB_CSSL Hello, I am contacting you from the European Broadcasting Union. Did you film this video? If so, may we have permission to use it in news reports with a courtesy? our terms: news-exchange.ebu.ch/clearance

2/19/26 8:30 am Update: The atmosphere is showing off: 1-day ❄️: 25.6" 2-day ❄️: 54.9" 4-day ❄️: 92.5" And in case you thought we were done… another 8–16" TODAY. At this point, the snowpack is basically building an extension onto the lab. Send snacks. Or a shovel. Or both.

@philOcrevaces Snowfall is looking quite good because this is dry, fluffy snow but, as a result, it doesn't contain as much water, so we still need quite a bit to get to average snow water equivalent.

@UCB_CSSL What does this mean for total snowfall relative to historical averages as a percent?

#weather #severeweather #CAwater #snow

@Shawwman23 It's rough up here right now. Snowfall rates of 3+ inches per hour and low visibility. If you can delay, it would be a good idea.

@UCB_CSSL Jesus christ - we are heading up to ski on Thursday. God damn - will be checking road cams and radars BEFORE we even attempt it.

2/17/26 8:55am Update: It. Is. Dumping. We had 28.1" (71.5 cm) of #snow in the last day and we're expecting another 2-3 feet by tomorrow night. Anecdotally, the combination of low visibility, intense snowfall, and high winds have created the worst conditions since Feb 2023!

@SnowPalsDotOrg @TahoeWeather @realwxforecast @RobMayeda We're glad it's useful!

@UCB_CSSL Loving the UC Berkeley Central #Sierra #Snow Lab Live CAM on #YouTube Watch the snow falls in real time: mesmerizing 😵‍💫 @TahoeWeather @realwxforecast @RobMayeda youtube.com/live/D-prMklW1… SF USF UCSF 🏂⛷️

2/18/26 8:45 am Update: 1-day ❄️: 29.3" (74.5 cm) 2-day ❄️: 57.5" (146 cm) 3-day❄️ (storm total): 66.9" (170 cm) We have flurries and calm conditions currently but snowfall rates will pick up this afternoon and evening bringing another 2-3 feet by Friday morning. #CAwx #CAwater

In the photo: our view from our aerosol lab room this morning.

@StoryfulNews Yes, the video is ours. Feel free to use with credit to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab.

@UCB_CSSL Hi there, I'm reaching out from Storyful news and video. Did you record this video? May we distribute them to our news and weather partners for their coverage, with full credit given to you (terms: storyful.com/clearance)? Thanks!

@BigBackGrips We don't get tired of it but we're biased, of course.

@UCB_CSSL At what point does it stop being fun to just go out and walk around in it, just for the experience? (Assuming it's fun at all.)

@SherriMichaux @US_Stormwatch It is 100% beautiful but we're biased.

@UCB_CSSL @US_Stormwatch I think this is just beautiful, but it is a balmy 55F where I am now so I might not be the best judge.