GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA, Nev. / Calif. – The most recent storm mid-February has resurrected snowpack levels after January’s dry spell pulled numbers considerably below normal.

After three weeks of no precipitation, the January 31 snowpack stood 40% below normal (median), according to USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service data. The snowpack only had a 30% chance of reaching its normal peak in the Tahoe basin this winter.

“That cold storm last week helped significantly,” NRCS Hydrologist, Jeff Anderson said.

The multi-day storm mid-February reportedly provided 2-3 feet of snow at certain ski resorts, bringing the Feb. 19 snowpack close to normal at 98%.

The snowpack now stands about three-quarters of the way to the normal (median) peak amounts the agency would like to see by late March.

Previous storms have been relatively warm, resulting in little to no snow at lower elevations. This colder storm improved snow totals at these locations, though there’s still a fair amount of catching up to do.

The agency’s Fallen Leaf site at lake level was snow free prior to the recent storm. It gained 1.6 inches of snow water and now has a 29% of normal snowpack.

While this latest storm bolstered numbers, there’s still some work cut out for mother nature.

“We could use a couple more cold storms similar to what we saw last week to achieve a normal April 1 snowpack,” Anderson says.