Water is one of the things that make Northern Nevada such a great place to live and most of our water comes from Lake Tahoe. In the first part of 2017, experts report the years-long drought is over. This is due to the nine atmospheric rivers, sometimes called Pineapple Express. An atmospheric river in a narrow corridor or filament of concentrated moisture from the tropics in the atmosphere. The Pineapple Express is a large weather pattern that stretches across the Pacific from Hawaii to the West Coast.
In 2017 we have had accumulated more than adequate drought (water) reserves, partly due to TROA (Truckee River Operating Agreement) which enhances our community’s drought storage and allows for more flexible management of the Truckee River. Currently, upstream water reserves are 41,596 acre feet translated to 13,554 million gallons. The great news is that all upstream reservoirs are expected to be at capacity this spring. Read more.
This exceptional precipitation year has seen large amounts, including this past month when there were nine inches of rain on the west side of Reno. The average precipitation for our area is 7.48 inches (190 mm) of rain per year. Snowfall in some places measures in the hundreds of inches. Reno/Tahoe averages 252 sunny days, including winter months, making great spring weather for enthusiasts of sports such as skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Snow Totals for Ski Resorts in our area as of 2-15-2017:
Squaw Valley – Alpine Meadows: 105”-193”
Northstar California: 86” – 178”
Heavenly Mountain Resort: 131” – 188”
Sugar Bowl Resort: 105” – 186”
Kirkwood: 132” – 197”
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area: 178” – 340”
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: 172” – 198”
