The lack of snow in California has sparked concerns about the state’s water supply. While the reservoirs currently stand in good stead, the minimal snowpack this season could spell trouble for the months ahead. As the unique weather patterns unfold, all eyes are on how California will manage its water resources in the face of this potential crisis.

Last year, a series of storms brought much-needed rain and snow to California, replenishing the reservoirs and improving water levels. The snowpack in the mountains even doubled in some places compared to the historical average, providing relief to the state’s water shortage. As a result, most of the state’s largest reservoirs are currently at or above their historical average levels. For example, Diamond Valley Lake in Southern California is at 93 percent capacity, which is 130 percent of its historical average. In the same region, Pine Flat Lake is at 61 percent capacity but exceeds its historical average at 175 percent.

Northern California’s Lake Shasta has also seen a drastic improvement, reaching 69 percent capacity, which is over 100 percent of its historical average. However, this winter’s limited snowpack has raised concerns about how the reservoirs will fare in the coming months. Despite some winter storms, the snowfall in the Sierra Nevada mountains has been below normal. In fact, recent snow surveys revealed that the snowpack is well below average in all locations studied. On top of that, some areas had little to no measurable snow at all, marking an all-time record low for the beginning of January.

The California Department of Water Resources confirmed this troubling news, reporting that the snowpack in the Sierra mountains was only 38 percent of average in the north, 34 percent in the central region, and a mere 27 percent in the south. This is concerning, as snowmelt from the mountains typically supplements a third of the state’s water supply in the warmer months. Last year, the southern Sierra Mountains had 257 percent of the average snowpack in March, illustrating just how dramatic this year’s contrast is.

While there is still time for the state to recover and reach snowpack averages this winter, the warm, wet weather driven by the El Niño climate pattern is not helping. While El Niño is expected to bring above-average precipitation to the southern U.S., including parts of California, it will likely be in the form of rain due to the higher winter temperatures.

The state’s water supply heavily relies on snowmelt, and a continued lack of snow could pose challenges for California in the months ahead. Despite the concerns, there is hope that the situation will improve as the winter progresses. But with the unpredictability of weather patterns, it’s hard to say for certain how this “snow drought” will impact the state’s water resources.