UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab

👀 Is it happening? It might be happening. We'll be keeping an eye on the model runs but early next week is looking pretty good... ❄️❄️❄️

#Snow #CAwx

10/2/25 10:25am

No snow yet but plenty of rain over the last 24 hours, which is a great start to the 2026 water year that began yesterday.

These early rain storms help prime our soil and keep it moist meaning less water from our snow has to do that job later.

#CAwx #CAwater

2/2 Each dot on this map is a lightning strike ranked by the Fire Neural Network on its potential to start a fire. Red is more likely and blue is less likely. This information can be used by fire crews in the area to identify potential risk areas following storms.

How many lightning strikes have we had around Donner Summit and the Lake Tahoe Basin since Saturday?

1500 - each with its own strength and location characteristics involving drought, fuel loads, and recent meteorological conditions. 1/2

2/2 Any donation of a vehicle or donation of part of the price is tax deductible since we're a 501(c)(3). If you are selling one or have one you don't use, let us know!

We are looking for a company vehicle with 4x4 or AWD that we can use to get to our field sites. We don't have the biggest budget, so we're working on alternatives to buying new. The vehicle doesn't need to be a newer model or even in great running condition. 1/2

Bad AI pic for attention

The Snow Lab is hiring!

We're hiring a Research Scientist to evaluate snowpack mass and energy balance response to precipitation enhancement using the Weather Research and Forecasting Hydrological (WRF-Hydro) and iSnobal models.

Details here 👉 www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/42...

6/21/25 1:45pm Update:

Ah yes, summertime. Long hours of sunlight, days at the lake, and... SNOW?!

Yes, snow. Currently at the lab we have a mix of #snow and #graupel coming down. Nothing says summer serenity like a blanket of white!

#CAwx #Weather

Looking for something to do on your Saturday? Come visit us at Legacy Day at Donner Memorial State Park! We'd love to chat with you and load you up with stickers!

The project, called the California Cold Content Initiative (3CI), aims to increase water forecast capabilities.

Why climate researchers are taking the temperature of mountain snow As climate change fuels increasingly erratic weather, scientists need a better read on snowpack temperature to understand when water will reach reservoirs—and when it threatens to flood them.

The @techreview just released an article that discusses our project to create a system of sensors to measure California's snowpack temperature.

Similar work from our partners @DRIScience and @USDA_NRCS is also discussed. Check it out here

tinyurl.com/5ahyhtkw

5/13/25 9:45am Update:
A fresh blanket of white covers the lab study site after we received 5.9" (15 cm) of late spring #snow in the last day.

Other than some flurries today, there's no snow in the forecast, so this could be our last snowfall of the season.

#CAwx #CAwater

5/12/25 3:30pm Update:

It's not over yet! We've been getting snow all day and it has led to some wonderful spring conditions ❄️❄️❄️

YouTube video by Central Sierra Snow Laboratory CSSL and CW3E Staff Break Down The 2025 Winter Season - May 1, 2025 Snow Season Briefing and Q&A

Yesterday we held our final winter and snowpack briefing of the season that corresponded to the final snow survey in #California.

Overall, another great season with statewide snowpack reaching average, which makes three years in a row. Check it out here:

youtu.be/D6DYrCA7X2Q?...

2/2 Snow water equivalent (SWE) is the amount of water that can be obtained by melting snow while accumulation is the depth of newly fallen snow over a season that can differ in density and, therefore, doesn't always have the same water content.

4/27/25 9:40am Update:
Another 4.3" (11 cm) of #snow over the last day brings our season total to 362.99" (922 cm), ~3" (7 cm) over our median annual snowfall of 360" (915 cm).

We had 100% of April 1 median for SWE and are now above average for accumulation too! 1/2

#CAwx #CAwater

#Snow started shortly after midnight and we have accumulated 4.5" (11.5 cm) so far with light to moderate rates.

We expect more snow through tomorrow with the heaviest rates being overnight tonight and another 5-10" at the lab.

#CAwx #CAwater

Mwah hahahaha! You thought it was spring but the weather has other plans! ❄️❄️❄️

We are expecting some late-season snow this weekend (April 26 & 27, 2025) above 6000 feet, most of which will fall Saturday night into Sunday morning. We're currently expecting 6-12" at the lab.

#CAwx #CAwater

We're exciting to be participating in the Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Festival this Saturday April 26, 2025 at the Palisade's Tahoe Village!

Come out to chat with us about all things snow, our research, and educational programs. Or, just stop by to grab yourself a CSSL sticker!

*late March

The days can be long but the scenery can't be beat!

Federal Samplers consist of hollow aluminum tubes and spring scales. The tubes collect cores of snow, which we then measure to get its water content.

There are over 250 snow survey sites in California where crews take manual measurements with hollow tubes, known as Federal Samplers, once a month from Feb to May!

This video is from late May when we did the Onion Creek in the American River Basin April 1 measurement.

Ablation: combined processes which remove snow or ice from the surface of a glacier or from a snow-field; also used to express the quantity lost by these processes OR reduction of the water equivalent of a snow cover by melting, evaporation, wind and avalanches.

4/8/25 8am Update:
Today we're at 115% of median snow water equivalent to-date, largely due to last week's storms.

Higher than average temperatures take over today and will continue through Friday, which should substantially increase melt. Ablation season is here!

#CAwx #CAwater

Researcher taking notes as other researchers are taking measurements in a snow pit.

Researcher in snow pit holding a shovel to the top of the snow pit.

Researchers smiling and posing around a snow pit.

DRI’s Anne Heggli working with the @cssl.bsky.social, testing a new method for measuring #snowpack temperature. Thank you, Anne, for sharing pictures of your #fieldwork. Learn more about Anne's work: bit.ly/hegglirainonsnow #ScienceThatMattersNow

Today we've hit 99% of our April 1 average snowpack statewide and 100% of average for this date. That last storm really helped out!

Three years at or above average is exceedingly rare in California with the last occurrence being in the late 1990s. Time to celebrate!

#CAwater #snow

4/2/25 9:30am Storm Update:
24 hour ❄️: 13.2" (33.5 cm)
2-day snow ❄️: 31.1" (79 cm)
Storm total (6-day) ❄️: 43.9" (111.5 cm)

Some light #snow showers are possible today and tomorrow but accumulations are only expected to be 0-2" (0-5 cm).

#CAwx #CAwater

4/1/25 10:15am Update:
This morning in Barbie Land we had 17.9" (45.5 cm) of #snow from the last day, which brings our storm total to 25.4" (64.5 cm) so far.

We have now had 341" (866 cm) since the start of the water year on October 1st. More on the way today!

#CAwx #CAwater

After a lot of consideration and debate, we have chosen to rebrand due to the high amount of rain that we've received.

We will no longer be the Central Sierra Snow Lab but, instead, will be the Basic Atmospheric Research on Basin Inflow Efficiencies (BARBIE) project.

Earlier than expected too - props to the IT team for getting things done quickly!