You don’t have to tell Bay Area skiers and snowboarders it’s been a dry winter, but just how dry has it been? January’s snowpack, according to a report released Tuesday by the California Department of Water Resources, is the lowest it’s been in decades. At just 19 percent, the Sierra Nevada that last year at this time was covered in white is now bare with brown grass and trees and rocks that are exposed at every turn. Read More

More rain is expected to hit the Bay Area this weekend, but for winter enthusiasts that only means one thing: snow in the Sierra Nevada. As much as 8 inches of snow fell in elevations above 3,000 feet overnight, according to the National Weather Service. A second storm is expected to reach the Lake Tahoe area Saturday, bringing more snow to help resorts prepare for the winter season. Read More

Ski resorts are bustling with activity. A key highway into Yellowstone is closed because parts of the road have seen more than 25 feet of snow. And campgrounds are feverishly removing snow from campsites to clear the way for visitors.Welcome to Memorial Day weekend in much of the West.The traditional kickoff of the summer season will have a decidedly wintry feel in the Rocky Mountains, as well as California's Sierra Nevada, because of a lingering record snowfall. Read More