
Left, snow depth on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015 and right, snow depth on the same in 2014. More snow is expected on Sunday.
Cheers erupted on social media Wednesday when the National Weather Service posted a colorful map that showed 58.7 percent of the Sierra is now covered by snow, compared to 0.6 percent on the same day a year ago. A month ago, there was no measurable snow coverage in the Sierra.
The current snow coverage, however, is more of a thin sheet than a fluffy blanket. The average snow depth along the Golden State's mountain spine was just over 4 inches, noted Jan Null, a former National Weather Service forecaster. Maximum snow depth was almost 25 inches.
Comment: According to U.S. climate data, average annual snowfall for Reno is 22 inches. The city has received 80% of its annual snow fall in in one storm.