California's first snow survey of 2025 shows near average snowpack

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- California is now a third of the way through the wettest time of the year, and the first snow survey of 2025 is giving some mixed messages.

"We're cautiously optimistic," said Joe Del Bosque, the CEO of Del Bosque Farms.

Del Bosque is a first-generation farmer out of Firebaugh.

His farming operations span two thousand acres and grows.

"Mostly melons like cantaloupes, honeydews, watermelons, but we also grow almonds, cherries, and processing tomatoes," said Del Bosque.

His farm on the west side of Fresno County.

"Depends. Literally 100% on water that comes from Northern California. That means from Shasta reservoir on the on the Sacramento River," said Del Bosque.

"We watch the rain precipitation and snowpack very closely up there. And so right now it looks. It looks good, but we still have a long ways to go."

Statewide, snowpack snow water levels are 108% of average.

However, there is a large discrepancy across the length of the Sierra Nevada.

"Up north, this is where we're doing really well. This is where most of the storm tracks have been," said David Rizzardo, a supervising engineer with the Department of Water Resources.

Atmospheric rivers and otherwise, in late November and kind of spread throughout December have us up to 161-percent average to date."

"Then you notice a sharp decline. The Central Sierra, which does encompass the Lake Tahoe Region, but extends southward to about Yosemite, that's 94-percent of average to date," said Rizzardo.

Down in the Southern Sierra, it's just 75 percent.

Looking ahead, climatologists say that storm prediction data shows a dry forecast for the Central California region.

"It's a very important area, not just for us and our jobs and our in our businesses. This is important for the whole country's food supply," said Del Bosque.

The Department of Water Resources conducts snow surveys four times each winter through April.

The next one is scheduled for February.

In April, the agency will assess its findings and determine if it should look at a late-season bailout or early shutoff.