https://edition.cnn.com/2021/12/28/us/california-december-snow-record-drought-cl...The nearly 17 feet of snow in California's
Sierra Nevada is crushing records.
By Rachel Ramirez, CNN
Updated 0712 GMT (1512 HKT) December 29, 2021

(CNN)After months of extreme drought that triggered water shortages and stoked wildfires, heavy snow is falling in the Sierra Nevada -- enough to break decades-old records.
As of Tuesday, more than 202 inches of snow -- nearly 17 feet (5.2 meters) -- had fallen so far this month at the University of California, Berkeley's Central Sierra Snow Laboratory, at Donner Pass east of Sacramento.
Scientists at the lab said this month is now the snowiest December on record for the location and the third snowiest month overall. The top month was January 2017 when 238 inches (6 meters) fell, and it's not likely enough snow will fall in the next three days to challenge that record. Records here go back to 1970.
Lab officials said the snow was "deep and hard to get through," and it took them roughly 40 minutes to get to where the measurements are taken just 150 feet away from the lab's front door.