A map from the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service showing percent of median snowpack in Nevada, by basin, for April 7, 2025.
April 7 snow telemetry data for Lake Tahoe and western Nevada reveals a healthy snowpack heading into warmer weather.
Boosted by spring storms, the Tahoe, Truckee River, Carson River, and Walker River basins were all over 100 percent of median snow water equivalent for the date, ranging from 101 percent of normal for the Walker River Basin to 113 percent of normal for the Truckee River Basin.
The data is collected and monitored by the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
“Most reservoirs important to Northern Nevada are storing near normal to well above normal amounts for this time of year,” NRCS said in an April 1 report.
Southern Nevada was in a different situation. The snowpack in the Spring Mountains was down to 5 percent of median snow water equivalent on April 7. The U.S. Drought Monitor showed abnormally dry conditions and moderate drought for stretches of central Nevada and severe, extreme and exceptional drought for the southern end of the state.
“The winter of 2025 hasn’t measured up to 2024 and is far short of the records set in 2023,” according to NRCS. “Despite that the eastern Sierra and Northern Nevada are still in good shape as we move into snowmelt season. Eastern Nevada is a mixed bag with better mountain snowpack conditions near Austin, Eureka and Ely, but well below normal snow in Great Basin National Park.
“Southern Nevada should expect a lean water year with less than normal streamflow predicted for the Virgin River and the Colorado River inflow to Lake Powell.”
Tim Bardsley, senior service hydrologist for the National Weather Service in Reno, said the outlook for Northern Nevada pointed to warm and “relatively dry” weather through April.
“Mountain soil moisture is near normal for this time of year in the Sierra basins, and below normal for the Humboldt (river basin). The drier soils on the Humboldt will cut into runoff efficiency. It is pretty unusual to have three above-normal snowpack years in a row on the Humboldt, and if we had wetter soils and greater snow-covered area there, we would be very concerned about flooding,” Bardsley said.
Bardsley wasn’t too concerned about snowmelt flooding in western Nevada; however, he didn’t rule out the possibility of minor flooding during any prolonged spring heatwave. He was concerned a lack of snow at low elevations could lead to fuels drying out.
In a four-month outlook issued April 1, the National Interagency Fire Center predicted parts of Northern Nevada and northeast California would be see above-normal wildfire potential by July.
“Fine fuel carryover is expected to be above normal and minimally compacted by winter snow, with near to just above normal winter and spring precipitation expected to produce a new grass crop adding to fine fuel loading this spring,” said the NIFC.
The seven-day NWS forecast for Carson City indicated a high of 79 degrees Fahrenheit by Thursday, with slightly cooler, but still sunny, weather expected for the weekend.