[M T]

While this wet winter resurrected the reservoirs (and probably the politicians who would get axed when California water woes drain the dregs),
it is going to be a total disaster in the fire seasons for many years.

I am currently in Sonora and see so many downed trees/branches from the weight of the snow.  Trees continue to grow big branches in years of normal snow, but when these heavy snow storms hit, many of those big branches become fuel for future fires.  I heard one resident say that he had been here since the 1940s and hadn't ever seen such snow.  (To be fair, snow in Sonora wasn't that bad, but just up the hill (at 3000') was much worse. And Sunday will be about the 2nd worst day in the past 2 weeks).

A conversation on Friday of two people trying to get together for an interview:  "It can't be at my house. My driveway is impassable and the regular entrance to the house is blocked by a down tree."  Response: "We've got 3' of snow on the ground and no power." (The snow ended Tuesday night.)  It isn't how deep the snow is, it is how much more than normal snow they got that weighed down the branches before it melted.

The snow will melt & fill the reservoirs, but that water won't do any good when fires flare in the Sierras in the dry dog days of 2025.

I've never heard of 10-year, 20-year, 50-year, 100-year snowfalls, but maybe for estimating the resultant fire hazard, that would be useful.

FYI, at my hotel is a Red Cross vehicle and a number of PG&E trucks, servicing the problems from this past week & ready for this weekend.

[M T]

While this wet winter resurrected the reservoirs (and probably the politicians who would get axed when California water woes drain the dregs),
it is going to be a total disaster in the fire seasons for many years.

I am currently in Sonora and see so many downed trees/branches from the weight of the snow.  Trees continue to grow big branches in years of normal snow, but when these heavy snow storms hit, many of those big branches become fuel for future fires.  I heard one resident say that he had been here since the 1940s and hadn't ever seen such snow.  (To be fair, snow in Sonora wasn't that bad, but just up the hill (at 3000') was much worse. And Sunday will be about the 2nd worst day in the past 2 weeks).

A conversation on Friday of two people trying to get together for an interview:  "It can't be at my house. My driveway is impassable and the regular entrance to the house is blocked by a down tree."  Response: "We've got 3' of snow on the ground and no power." (The snow ended Tuesday night.)  It isn't how deep the snow is, it is how much more than normal snow they got that weighed down the branches before it melted.

The snow will melt & fill the reservoirs, but that water won't do any good when fires flare in the Sierras in the dry dog days of 2025.

I've never heard of 10-year, 20-year, 50-year, 100-year snowfalls, but maybe for estimating the resultant fire hazard, that would be useful.

FYI, at my hotel is a Red Cross vehicle and a number of PG&E trucks, servicing the problems from this past week & ready for this weekend.