The big storms that pounded California in early February, after a terribly dry January, did only so much to boost the state’s lackluster snow levels. Snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, southern Cascades and Trinity mountains will likely hover around 85% of average, for the date, on Friday when state water managers conduct their monthly snow survey. The survey comes after what are typically the three snowiest months in California, helping shed light on the state’s water picture for the coming year. Snow, as it melts and fills rivers and reservoirs, accounts for nearly a third of California’s water supply.

Other snowpack news around the West:

• Los Angeles Times: It’s been a warm winter, and California’s snowpack shows it
• KQED (San Francisco): California snowpack rebounds amid a wobbly winter, with more storms on the way
• Action News Now (Chico, Calif.): DWR to conduct snow survey this Friday
• Powder magazine: La Niña’s late ambush: What’s going on with ENSO?
• The Denver Gazette: 30-40″ of snow forecast for Colorado by mid month from four-storm punch as March starts