As a result of higher temperatures supposed to have been caused by global warming, the snow pack in the Western mountainous regions is decreasing. Higher temperatures result in a higher rainfall over snow while melting the current snow pack without replacing it. The trend is expected to intensify through the decades which will have an adverse effect on the fragile balance of the California reservoir system leading to flooding in the winters and shortages in the summers.
In recent decades, the amount of precipitation as snow has steadily decreased by an average of 4.3% per decade as temperatures have climbed on average by 0.34% Celsius in winter months. Researchers and scientists point to greenhouse gases as the culprit of the temperature change. The data modeling suggests that gases are 35-60% responsible depending on which climate model is used. In order to prepare for future water worries water conservation and reservoir construction are suggested as part of the solution.
Link: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-sci-water1feb01,1,7686108.story
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