Snow piled up in the Sierra Nevada this week, with 1 to 2 feet falling at Tahoe ski resorts Wednesday. The cold storm system notably differed from earlier storms this season. … California’s statewide snowpack is running below normal, due to the low amount of water stored in the snow that has fallen. Other parts of the western United States are experiencing even larger deficits. Experts say there aren’t immediate concerns for California reservoir levels but add that there could be heightened wildfire concerns come summer. As of Thursday, the statewide snowpack is 86% of normal for this time of year, according to the California Department of Water Resources. But the snow hasn’t been evenly distributed across the state, with more in the north than the south.

Other snowpack and atmospheric river news across the West:

• The Guardian: California atmospheric river threatens flooding in areas still reeling from fires
• The Colorado Sun (Denver): Colorado is split into snowpack haves and have-nots, drought report shows
• KUNM (Albuquerque, N.M.): ‘It’s bad’: How drought, lack of snowpack and federal cuts could spell wildfire disaster in NM
• The Desert Sun (Palm Springs, Calif.): Live coverage: Monster March storm brings tornadoes, mudslides, avalanches to California
• The New York Times: Parts of Los Angeles urged to evacuate as ‘widespread’ rain and snow hit California
• The Washington Post: Heavy rain and some flooding sweeps through Southern California
• Forbes: Atmospheric rivers have intensified over the past 45 years
• The Daily Kos: Blog: Latest storm in Southern California exposes need for climate Superfund bill
• AP News: Photos: Canals carry precious water across vast California landscape