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.
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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.
One person was killed and another was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash along Elkhorn Boulevard in Sacramento County, officials said.
An evacuation order has been issued for part of Murphys in Calaveras County as firefighters battle the Ross Fire, which has burned an estimated 15 acres, officials said Friday.
An evacuation order and warning have been issued for the Clover Fire burning near the Alta Sierra area in Nevada County on Friday afternoon.
Walmart will let shoppers use tap-to-pay methods, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, beginning later this month.
A loaded gun was found on Sem Yeto High School's campus on Friday, months after a deadly shooting at the school's graduation ceremony, police said.
An evacuation order and warning have been issued for the Clover Fire burning near the Alta Sierra area in Nevada County on Friday afternoon.
A loaded gun was found on Sem Yeto High School's campus on Friday, months after a deadly shooting at the school's graduation ceremony, police said.
The agency issued multiple citations and penalties to a backcountry guide company involved in California's deadliest avalanche earlier this year near Lake Tahoe.
One person was killed and another was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash along Elkhorn Boulevard in Sacramento County, officials said.
An evacuation order has been issued for part of Murphys in Calaveras County as firefighters battle the Ross Fire, which has burned an estimated 15 acres, officials said Friday.
A former president of Telemundo 33 in Sacramento was among seven people killed Wednesday when a helicopter crashed in a remote area of northern Kenya, the news station confirmed.
College researchers studying public health say they found prohibited intoxicating products being sold at more than half of the Sacramento smoke shops they surveyed this summer.
For 24 years, John Castro has been teaching students at Earl Warren Elementary School in Sacramento. Along the way, he has made an impact that extends far beyond the classroom.
A person wearing a ski mask was found shot in northeast Sacramento on Monday morning under mysterious circumstances, authorities said.
An SUV drifted out of its lane on U.S. Highway 50 in Sacramento late Sunday night, hitting a group of people helping change a flat tire on the shoulder.
The agency issued multiple citations and penalties to a backcountry guide company involved in California's deadliest avalanche earlier this year near Lake Tahoe.
For California's craft distilleries, the ability to ship directly to customers has become an important way to reach consumers beyond their tasting rooms and local restaurants.
State Sen. Aisha Wahab holds a narrow lead over BART director Melissa Hernandez in the race to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell in California's 14th Congressional District.
California lawmakers are weighing whether to take action after videos surfaced showing an electric-shock glove that may soon be used as part of federal immigration enforcement.
There is a new effort to increase the minimum wage and training requirements for security guards in California ahead of the 2028 Olympics.
The Athletics' stadium on the Las Vegas Strip is taking shape with the addition of a second steel truss arch.
Jacob Cowing returned a punt for an 83-yard touchdown, Eddy Pineiro kicked a pair of field goals and the San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles Chargers 41-17 on Thursday night in a preseason game.
The San Francisco 49ers will have a few more starters making their preseason debut in a matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
John Rave hit a tiebreaking, bases-clearing double during a seven-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals rallied past the Athletics 9-7.
In a statement Wednesday, LLWS officials said: "There is no place for betting on Little League games and players or any youth sports competition."
Chief Justice John Roberts issued a stay that will remain in place until the Supreme Court takes further action.
The aircraft carrier and its 5,000 crew members will return to San Diego after an approximately nine-month deployment.
The partial term for California's 14th Congressional District ends January 2027, after which the candidate chosen in the November election will serve the next full term.
FBI agents executed search warrants targeting former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell and seized his electronic devices, two sources told CBS News.
California voters will decide in November whether to approve a proposed $11 billion bond aimed at addressing the state's affordable housing and homelessness crises.
Moderna and Merck announced study results that reflect a "landmark moment" in treatment for one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer.
Multiple unpermitted street food vendors in Fairfield were cited for violations last week after inspections found them selling food unsafe for public consumption, authorities said.
The Social Security Administration is expanding its list of diseases and other health conditions that may qualify for accelerated approval of disability benefits.
In a wide-ranging interview with the CBS News partner BBC News, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father's condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
Two Michigan residents who had "significant underlying health conditions" have died after contracting cyclosporiasis, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.
During the program's first year, it will be offered at about 65 to 75 hospitals that handle about a quarter of births in the state and largely serve low-income patients, Newsom's office said.
Fresh off their undefeated season and conference championship win, the women on the team are speaking out for the first time.
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.
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.
An evacuation order has been issued for part of Murphys in Calaveras County as firefighters battle the Ross Fire, which has burned an estimated 15 acres, officials said Friday.
An evacuation order and warning have been issued for the Clover Fire burning near the Alta Sierra area in Nevada County on Friday afternoon.
Evacuation orders have been lifted for a wildfire that ignited east of Mountain Ranch in Calaveras County on Thursday, officials said.
An evacuation warning for a wildfire burning in the Tahoe National Forest was lifted as containment increased to 55%.
A fire in the area of Yuba Ridge Drive near Nevada City forced an evacuation order and warnings.
Their message is simple: keep showing up, keep moving and keep your heart open, because sometimes, the person who changes your life is living right across the street.
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.
An evacuation order and warning have been issued for the Clover Fire burning near the Alta Sierra area in Nevada County on Friday afternoon.
The agency issued multiple citations and penalties to a backcountry guide company involved in the state's deadliest avalanche earlier this year near Lake Tahoe.
Meteorologist Ashley Nanfria says widespread cloud cover and Delta breezes will help keep a lid on temperatures.
Photographer Dave McCain shows us how this coach is keeping things cool for this batch of hockey tots.
Madisen Keavy reports.