Southern California Reservoirs May Get a Boost
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A late-season winter storm could give Southern California a boost in snowpack that will benefit the region's water supply following below-average snow levels during the winter.
Newsweek reached out to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) via email for comment on Friday.
Why It Matters
After an underwhelming early winter season, concerns grew that California's reservoirs—key to managing drought and water supply for millions—would struggle to meet demands. However, recent storms helped change the outlook. The April snow survey of the year was conducted on March 28 by the DWR, and snowpack was measured at 90 percent of average statewide.
But Northern and Central California received more snow than Southern California, which remained "exceptionally dry," according to DWR officials. Despite this, reservoir levels across California, including Southern California facilities, are trending above historical norms for this time of year.
What To Know
Typically, significant winter storms end before April 1, but this year's unusual weather pattern is bringing additional snow to areas that had been trailing their seasonal averages.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Southern California mountains, forecasting up to 7 inches of new snow accumulation in higher elevations through the weekend. The late April snowfall, combined with an already near-average Sierra Nevada snowpack, signals encouraging prospects for the state's water supplies.
In an aerial view, very low water levels are seen at Castaic Lake reservoir during a drought on July 8, 2022, near Castaic, California.
In an aerial view, very low water levels are seen at Castaic Lake reservoir during a drought on July 8, 2022, near Castaic, California.
David McNew/Getty
Although the Sierra Nevada, which supplies about one-third of California's water, did not exceed record highs this year, officials emphasized the significance of reaching near-normal levels after a dry start to the season. Despite being near average, this year's snowpack is much below snowpack levels in 2023 and 2024.
In 2023, California snowpack peaked at 241 percent of average. The impressive snowfall alleviated California's drought throughout the year. Snowfall peaked at 113 percent of average in 2024.
Even though this year didn't perform as well as the past two years, the DWR reported on March 25 that State Water Project allocations were increased to 40 percent—up from 30 percent in December—thanks to a wet winter and improved hydrologic outlooks.
While conditions are significantly better than in recent drought years, officials caution that one good season doesn't fix long-term water supply issues. Still, the replenishment is a welcome reprieve for a state where water security is a constant concern.
What People Are Saying
A DWR spokesperson previously told Newsweek: "The April 1 snowpack is an important benchmark for water managers who rely on snowpack and snowmelt runoff forecast data to plan for the amount of water that will flow into California's rivers and reservoirs in the spring. The State Water Project and water districts use this data to plan for how much water will be available for urban and agricultural water users during the drier summer and fall months."
The NWS office in Los Angeles, in its Winter Weather Advisory: "Be prepared for slippery roads. Slow down and use caution while driving. If you are going outside, watch your first few steps taken on stairs, sidewalks, and driveways. These surfaces could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury."
What Happens Next
The advisory will remain in place until Sunday morning. It remains unclear if more late-season winter storms will move through Southern California before the arrival of warmer temperatures.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Potential ‘100 Foot' Waves Headed for U.S. East Coast
It's official: Tropical Storm Erin has been upgraded to Hurricane status. As of Friday, the Category 1 storm (but expected to grow) is moving towards the Caribbean, then it's slated to curve northeast off the United States' East Coast by next week – bringing with it heavy rains, flash flooding, gusty winds, and most likely waves. Regarding the latter, some scientists are predicting potentially huge surf. Speaking to Newsweek, Jean-Raymond Bidlot, senior scientist in ocean modeling at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), said: "The latest forecast does indeed indicate that the largest significant wave height could reach values in excess of 50 feet with an associated most likely largest wave of more than 100 feet.' That' Of course, 100-footers aren't going to be hitting New Smyrna Beach, up to the Outer Banks, and beyond. But there will be swell, that's for sure. Meanwhile other experts, like AccuWeather's lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva, downplayed the size potential of the waves. Yet still, it's significant. DaSilva said: 'While 100 feet can't be ruled out, I think they would only be possible if the storm become a Category 4 or 5 storm. I think waves near the center of 50-75 feet are much more realistic (assuming a Category 3 storm)."For more regarding the surf from Erin, here's a public advisory statement from NOAA: 'Swells generated by Erin will begin affecting portions of the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by this weekend, and will likely spread to the western Atlantic next week. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather forecast office.' One thing's for certain, regardless of the superlatives and possible overhype, Erin will bring that familiar dichotomy of destruction and pumping surf, as often associated with East Coast hurricane season. One one hand, there will be waves for those who partake; on the other, there will be damage and danger for others. Stay tuned for more, and keep close to the real-time surf forecasts from '100 Foot' Waves Headed for U.S. East Coast first appeared on Surfer on Aug 15, 2025 Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
13 hours ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows States to Be Hit Hardest by Erin as Major Hurricane Likely
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The East Coast is expecting to see impacts from Hurricane Erin next week after the storm rapidly intensifies into a Category 4 hurricane, the strongest storm of the Atlantic hurricane season so far. The storm became a Category 1 hurricane on Friday morning after slowly strengthening throughout the week. Why It Matters As of Friday morning, Erin had maximum sustained windspeeds of 75 miles per hour, making it a Category 1 storm. It's the first hurricane to form in the Atlantic Ocean this year. An updated forecast map from AccuWeather shows Erin is expected to reach Category 4 strength by Monday afternoon. A Category 4 hurricane has maximum sustained windspeeds between 130 and 156 mph. What to Know As Erin grows in size and strength, AccuWeather meteorologists warned that its impacts could be extensive and far-reaching, hitting areas as far as 100 miles away from the storm's center. This means that North Carolina and Virginia coasts have a moderate risk of experiencing rain and wind impacts from Erin as it passes the U.S. Meanwhile, the entire Eastern Seaboard, as well as much of Florida, has a low risk of experiencing impacts. AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva told Newsweek that although states should prepare to see impacts from Erin, it doesn't mean the hurricane will make landfall. Instead, meteorologists anticipate the storm will pass between Bermuda and North Carolina's Outer Banks. "At this time, impacts are expected to include dangerous surf, beach erosion and coastal flooding. However, conditions may worsen along the U.S. Atlantic coast, if Erin's track shifts farther west," DaSilva said in a report. Coastal areas such as the Outer Banks; Long Island, New York; and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, are at the highest risk of direct impacts, the AccuWeather report said. "Erin has not yet started to curve north," DaSilva said in the report. "The longer Erin tracks west before turning north, the odds increase of impacts potentially reaching the East Coast." A map from AccuWeather shows North Carolina and Virginia have a moderate risk of impacts from Hurricane Erin. A map from AccuWeather shows North Carolina and Virginia have a moderate risk of impacts from Hurricane Erin. AccuWeather What People Are Saying AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said in an AccuWeather report: "Erin is moving into a zone of warm water and low wind shear that were already fostering strengthening while east of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean." National Hurricane Center said in a recent public advisory: "Steady to rapid strengthening is expected during the next two to three days, and Erin is forecast to become a major hurricane during the weekend." What Happens Next? Meteorologists will continue to monitor Erin as it increases in size and strength. Those who live on the East Coast should keep an eye out for any updates and follow local weather guidance.
Newsweek
13 hours ago
- Newsweek
Map Shows Where Power Outages Are Most Common in the US
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. From Winter Storm Blair to Hurricane Beryl in Texas and the more recent Connecticut thunderstorms, power outages from severe weather events have become an increasingly common reality across the United States in recent years. A nationwide study from the Urban Resilience AI Lab at Texas A&M University has produced the first-ever Power System Vulnerability Index (PSVI)—a classification of each county identifying those most at risk of frequent and prolonged blackouts. "Using data from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, we studied the effect of weather events on the frequency and duration of nationwide power outages over the past 10 years," explained paper author and civil engineer Junwei Ma in a statement. "The dataset included over 179 million data points sorted by time and location, allowing us to create the PSVI." Where US Power Outages Hit Hardest The researchers' analysis examined outages between 2014 and 2023 across 3,022 U.S. counties, covering 96 percent of the contiguous United States. Results showed a steady nationwide rise in power system vulnerability, with 318 counties across 45 states now considered "hotspots" for high risk. Regions Most Vulnerable to Blackouts According to the PSVI data, the most vulnerable U.S. regions include: The West Coast, particularly California and Washington The East Coast, including Florida and the Northeast megalopolis The Great Lakes corridor (Chicago–Detroit) Gulf Coast areas of Texas The average county experienced outages lasting 7.3 days per year—roughly 2 percent of the year without power—with an outage occurring about once a week. Since 2019, outage duration, frequency, and scale have increased by around 20 percent annually. Why Vulnerability Is Rising Researchers linked many spikes in vulnerability to extreme weather disasters such as wildfires in California, hurricanes in Florida, and the 2021 Texas winter storm. However, non-weather factors, including aging electrical grids, rising energy demand, and urban development density, also play a major role. Urban counties, with dense populations and infrastructure, showed significantly higher vulnerability than rural areas. "Dense street trees, heavy electricity demand, and concentrated infrastructure mean cities are hit harder and recover more slowly from outages," Ma explained. How the Power System Vulnerability Index Works The PSVI was built using explainable A.I., a machine learning method that weighs outage frequency, intensity, and duration to produce a county-by-county score. This publicly available tool allows users to explore vulnerability trends over the past decade and compare risks nationwide. "We're turning 179 million messy outage logs into a roadmap for prevention—showing each county whether its biggest pain point is too many outages, too long, or too large," paper author and civil engineer professor Ali Mostafavi told Newsweek. Why It Matters The team also warned that many A.I. data centers and critical facilities are located in high-risk zones, underscoring the need for targeted investment in resilient infrastructure as severe weather events are expected to become more frequent. "The data show a clear pattern: U.S. power outages are becoming more frequent, longer, and clustered in hotspot counties," Mostafavi said. "By turning high-frequency outage logs into a county-level Power-System Vulnerability Index, we see not only where the grid struggles, but why—whether the main issue is too many events, too many customers affected, or restorations that take too long. "Without targeted upgrades, today's chronic pockets will intensify during climate extremes." The index represents the first transparent, nationwide, county-level view of grid vulnerability built from high-frequency, utility-reported outages, Mostafavi continued. "It moves the conversation from anecdotes to comparable metrics every policymaker can understand." He concluded: "With climate extremes intensifying and electrification accelerating, leaders need clear, data-driven targets for hardening the grid and protecting residents." Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about power outages? Let us know via science@ Reference Ma, J., Li, B., Omitaomu, O. A., & Mostafavi, A. (2025). Establishing nationwide power system vulnerability index across US counties using interpretable machine learning. Applied Energy, 397.
