We started the month of March with a small storm on the 2nd that brought several inches of new snow. That starts what could be a fairly active first half of March.

March 1st is the first day of Meteorological spring and March 20th for Astronomical spring. As we go into spring many people think that our biggest snowfall months are behind us, but history shows us that is not true.

The Central Sierra Snow Lab is just below 7000 ft. in elevation and it's where full-time scientists measure and study the snow for the Tahoe region. They have extensive records back to the 1800s and daily detailed data back to 1970. That's where we can look at data to see what March has brought us for snowfall historically.

Per the records back to 1970, the average snowfall for March is 76 inches, which makes March the 2nd snowiest month of the year on average historically, just 1 inch shy of the snowiest month of the year, which is February which averages 77 inches.

So as many people start to think about spring and spring activities, the northern Sierra Nevada range many seasons is picking up some of their biggest snowfall totals of the season. In some seasons March is the biggest month, and when we are below average at the end of February and pick up enough snow in March to get back above average for the season, locals have given that the term "Miracle March".

Let's look back at some BIG March totals that we've seen since 1970:

• 1974 - 102"
• 1975 - 125"
• 1982 - 197"
• 1983 - 125"
• 1985 - 142"
• 1989 - 119"
• 1992 - 201"
• 1995 - 168"
• 2006 - 164"
• 2011 - 194"
• 2012 - 146"
• 2016 - 108"
• 2018 - 146"
• 2023 - * 219" *
• 2024 - 132"

17 out of 54 seasons March was the biggest snowfall month of the season, or almost a 3rd of the time. The 2nd biggest month of any month on record for snowfall back to 1970 was March of 2023 when 219 inches fell. As you can see, March can be a very snowy month and can bring us some of the best and deepest powder days of the season.

Will we see a big March this year? Forecasting storms out more than a week is difficult even with the current technology in weather forecasting and modeling, as the atmosphere is fluid and chaotic with many variables that can change and affect the weather patterns.

But the current weather patterns forecast through the first of March are conducive for storms to continue and for some bigger storms to possibly develop between the 12th and 17th. We are hopeful that those storms will develop and bring us some bigger storms after a season that lacked big snowstorms.

As of March 3rd, we have received 237 inches of snow so far at the Snow Lab, which is around 85% of the seasonal snowfall average for the date. We would need to pick up around 108 inches of snow in March to get above average by the end of the month, but as you can see above that has only happened 14 times, giving us around a 26% chance of a Miracle March.

So you're telling us there's a chance?

There's always a better chance of a Miracle March occurring during the month of March than any other month, but I wouldn't bet the farm on one this March even though there's always a chance...

We only need to pick 72 inches to reach the March snowfall average at the Snow Lab with the upper mountain averaging slightly more. That is more attainable than getting enough to go back above average and to have a "Miracle March". But with the biggest 2-day snowfall total of the season so far only being 29 inches, we still have a chance to see the biggest storm of the season and some good powder days!

Fingers crossed...BA