Satellite Images 1 Year Apart Paint Grim Picture Of Sierra Snowpack
Two photos, one taken on February 1, 2014 and another taken exactly a year later, show just how non-existent the Sierra snowpack is this year.
Watch CBS News
Two photos, one taken on February 1, 2014 and another taken exactly a year later, show just how non-existent the Sierra snowpack is this year.
A ridge of high pressure has kept California high and dry during the month of January, but signs are pointing toward the ridge moving eastward. As the ridge moves, an atmospheric river would likely aim for the coast, possibly bringing rain to the Sacramento region.
The survey on Thursday found a snowpack water equivalent of just 2.3 inches in the scant snowpack near Echo Summit, about 90 miles east of Sacramento.
Although this year's wet season started out great with a strong December, there has been even less rain this January—typically the wettest month—than there was last year.
There's a lot more than grapes that go into that bottle there is a lot of cool science and technology and it's all happening here in Sacramento.
Temperatures are in the 50s in the Sacramento area this morning. The cloud cover, although not producing any precipitation, has kept temperatures warmer overnight.
They say the dams would decrease the amount of water released from upstream reservoirs to keep saltwater from creeping inland from the San Francisco Bay, contaminating the Delta.
In a normal year, Sacramento gets about 4 inches of rain a month. Last January saw .20 inches, and so far there has only been .01 inch, and not much on the horizon.
Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy are publicly blaming each other over who derailed congressional efforts last year to pass a drought relief bill for California.
The drought has been one of the bigger challenges for the family in the fields in recent years. Lately though, the concern has been temperatures, and how relatively warm they've been at night.
Traffic is understandably moving a little slower this morning and drivers make their way to work through the dense fog.
It's called Dropcountr, and it allows for quick access to personal water use info at any time. The city is offering the free program to the first 5,000 customers who sign up.
Steelhead trout are missing from the hatchery. Normally during the winter months, schoolkids feed them here, and in the nearby American River, fishermen hope to hook them.
The overall wind pattern remains light, allowing patchy fog to develop. The upper cloud cover is non-existent and a ridge of high pressure is developing and pushes to the north.
California's drought declaration has triggered only local limits such as restrictions on washing cars or watering lawns for most communities, but one Pacific Coast tourist town has seized it as an opportunity to build a long-desired desalination plant.
We ended 2014 with chilly temperatures in the 20s across the valley overnight. If you celebrated outdoors last night, you know just how cold it was in our area.
Bundled-up revelers planning to usher in 2015 along the Las Vegas Strip or watch flower-decorated floats in the Rose Parade in Southern California were dealing with near-freezing temperatures early Thursday after a blustery winter storm dumped show and ice across the West.
Temperatures in the valley will be around the freezing point, especially overnight. But the possibility of high winds will make it feel even colder.
The National Weather Service said a freeze watch will be in effect Friday night through Saturday morning in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley because temperatures are forecast to range between 28 degrees and 32 degrees for four to six hours.
It may not have snowed, but California kept it cooler on Christmas this year after a cold front swept in overnight bringing gusty winds that showered streets with palm fronds and other debris.
Fog was thick and more widespread on Tuesday than it was on Monday morning. Visibility was down to 1/4 of a mile in Sacramento and Marysville and 3/4 of a mile in Stockton and Modesto.
A natural coast rhythm around the winter soltices is bringing the year's highest tides to California shores.
A winter weather advisory continues until 10 tonight in the Sierra where the highest elevations could see 10 inches of snow.
We're looking forward to a wet early commute on Friday , and then we'll dry out the rest of the day.
California remains deep in a drought, but a steady string of wet weather that is expected to continue Wednesday is making it look and feel replenished.
Stockton police said two men were killed and a woman was injured after a shooting on Sunday.
Around 2 a.m., a white Dodge Charger and a black Land Rover Discovery collided on westbound Interstate 80, east of the Cordelia Weigh Station.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended ongoing immigration operations in Minnesota, and said a federal judge's order limiting the tactics federal agents can use "didn't change anything."
Thirty-seven years after the tragic shooting at Cleveland Elementary School, the Stockton community gathered Saturday to remember the five children who lost their lives and the dozens more who were injured.
The San Francisco 49ers' season came to an end in a 41-6 blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round on Saturday.
Stockton police said two men were killed and a woman was injured after a shooting on Sunday.
Around 2 a.m., a white Dodge Charger and a black Land Rover Discovery collided on westbound Interstate 80, east of the Cordelia Weigh Station.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended ongoing immigration operations in Minnesota, and said a federal judge's order limiting the tactics federal agents can use "didn't change anything."
Del Monte Foods is shutting down its Modesto fruit cannery, bringing an end to operations at a facility that has long been part of the agricultural economy in California's Central Valley.
Thirty-seven years after the tragic shooting at Cleveland Elementary School, the Stockton community gathered Saturday to remember the five children who lost their lives and the dozens more who were injured.
The International Sportsmen's Expo is back at Cal Expo this weekend, giving outdoor enthusiasts a chance to explore everything from fishing and hunting gear to boats, RVs, and adventure travel — all without leaving Sacramento.
Raising Cane's is raising controversy in Sacramento. There are plans to build a new restaurant in North Natomas, but some city officials are trying to deny the project's approval permit.
Work is continuing in Downtown Sacramento on building a new soccer stadium for the Republic FC, which is scheduled to open in 2027. But some people are protesting one of the ways that the new stadium is being funded.
It's been a grim start to the new year, with four more people dying over the weekend in car crashes on Sacramento streets. Traffic safety advocates say they happened on roads known for dangerous speeds and intersections.
There's another roadblock in seeking justice for a woman who was hit and nearly killed while riding her bike in Sacramento.
A special election will be held in August to fill California's 1st Congressional District, left vacant following the death of Rep. Doug LaMalfa.
President Trump and California Gov. Gavin Newsom are both pitching plans to restrict corporations from buying single-family homes.
Kaiser Permanente has reached a lawsuit settlement over alleged patient data breaches involving Kaiser websites and mobile applications, with members eligible to receive a payment from a $46 million settlement fund, the health care giant announced.
Current drought maps are showing California is drought-free for the first time in 25 years.
A man convicted in a retail theft spree across 11 Northern California counties between 2023 and 2025 was sentenced to prison on Wednesday, authorities said.
The San Francisco 49ers' season came to an end in a 41-6 blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round on Saturday.
Domantas Sabonis scored 13 points in his return from a knee injury, Russell Westbrook had 26 and the Sacramento Kings beat the Washington Wizards 128-115 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.
The Athletics have hired former Colorado Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt as the club's special assistant to the scouting department.
Postal officials have unveiled a forever stamp honoring Muhammad Ali. It marked the ultimate reversal of the government's view of the late boxing legend.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold injured his left oblique during Thursday's practice and was listed as questionable for Saturday's NFC divisional playoff game against the 49ers, but he said he's confident he'll play.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended ongoing immigration operations in Minnesota, and said a federal judge's order limiting the tactics federal agents can use "didn't change anything."
Mr. Trump previously threatened to impose tariffs against countries that do not support his plans to acquire the territory.
The Trump administration is delaying its plans to withhold pay from student loan borrowers who default on their payments, backing off a measure that threatened to deliver a financial blow to millions of Americans.
A special election will be held in August to fill California's 1st Congressional District, left vacant following the death of Rep. Doug LaMalfa.
Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum has sought to placate President Trump and build a strong relationship between the U.S. and Mexico.
The Harmony Health Street Medicine team spends their days visiting encampments and connecting with vulnerable people, meeting them where they are and offering care outside of a clinic and without barriers.
Kaiser Permanente has reached a lawsuit settlement over alleged patient data breaches involving Kaiser websites and mobile applications, with members eligible to receive a payment from a $46 million settlement fund, the health care giant announced.
After the ACA tax credit lapsed in December, enrollees are opting for less robust health plans or dropping coverage altogether.
Officials said there were 35 cases of wild mushroom poisoning across California between Nov. 18 and Jan. 4. In an average year, fewer than five cases of wild mushroom poisoning occur statewide, according to Sonoma County health officials.
This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new vaccination guidelines and now, some western states are telling people they're too dangerous to follow.
Finding the perfect dress isn't easy, but now, selling them could become a lot more challenging.
This weekend, Placer County is hosting its annual Sip Into Spring event, offering free or discounted tastings at more than 20 wineries along what's known as the Placer Wine Trail.
From fruits and veggies to car parts, economists project that businesses will pass along the cost of the tariffs to customers.
An economic blackout was underway Friday as activists nationwide encouraged people not to spend their money at large corporations, retailers and fast-food chains for 24 hours.
San Joaquin County's retail theft reporting app has only been around for six months and is already bringing a sense of calmness to local business owners.
President Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom have made several different claims about California gas prices. Here's what we found.
This year-long investigation provides an unprecedented look at California's one-party supermajority legislature through the eyes of grieving parents who discover how California lawmakers kill popular bills by not voting.
This year-long investigation by CBS News California investigative correspondent Julie Watts examines the many components of California's new tougher-on-crime law.
A Natomas mother demanded that her daughter be exhumed and cremated after a Sacramento cemetery moved her grave without telling the family.
The California Highway Patrol captain accused of workers' compensation fraud was the commander in charge of the fatal Mahaney Park shootout in Roseville, three officers who worked under him at the time of the shootout said.
CBS13 and the Call Kurtis consumer investigative team devised an idea on how to lower what consumers owe on their credit cards -- and it begins with a simple phone call.
No one wants to think about death. However, it's important to plan on what happens to your digital assets after you die.
After spending $18,000 on waterproof laminate floors, a Natomas couple spotted damage after the first cleaning.
More than a year after Hai Pham canceled the trial membership, he kept getting charged every month for it.
A Natomas mother demanded that her daughter be exhumed and cremated after a Sacramento cemetery moved her grave without telling the family.
San Joaquin County secured a grant aimed at helping to build a wildfire protection plan for the entire county.
More than two dozen structures were destroyed in a wildfire in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
Clean-up has started in Chinese Camp after the TCU September Lightning Complex Fire ripped through the Gold Rush town earlier this month.
The fires burning in Calaveras and Tuolumne County caused air quality officials to issue a smoke advisory, warning people that the air quality may be unhealthy for sensitive groups.
The TCU Lightning Complex fires have burned nearly 14,000 acres in Central California, but in a Saturday update, Cal Fire said containment was at 42%.
A Sacramento County dog picked up thousands of miles from home after he went missing five years ago was reunited with his family on Wednesday.
What started as a suspicious circumstances call for Rancho Cordova police ended with a newborn surprise.
A once-empty lot behind Church of the Cross in north Modesto now hosts a thriving community garden with more than 140 plots and growers from across the globe.
A Sacramento-area middle school history and English teacher is in the running to win big as America's Favorite Teacher, a title her students think she is more than worthy of being awarded.
Junior Romello Bruhn of Woodland Christian High School is closer than ever to scoring 3,000 career points, something only 13 high school athletes have accomplished in California state history.
Here's a look at the weather forecast Sunday evening.
Nina Burns reports.
Stockton police said two men were killed and a woman was injured after a shooting on Sunday.
Here's a look at the weather forecast Saturday night.
Thirty-seven years after the tragic shooting at Cleveland Elementary School, the Stockton community gathered Saturday to remember the five children who lost their lives and the dozens more who were injured.