Last week’s “Christmas Miracle” storms are putting smiles on the faces of California growers and skiers.

On Dec. 11, 19% of the Sierra Nevada was covered in snow, according to the National Weather Service.

As of Monday, the snowpack covered 56% of the mountain range, NWS said.

The state Department of Water Resources, meanwhile, breaks down the snowpack this way: Northern Sierra 51% of normal to date, Central Sierra 72%, and Southern Sierra 94%.

The Sierra snowpack provides about one-third of California’s annual water supply.

The New Year’s Forecast

In addition, there is snow in the New Year’s forecast, as well as rain for Fresno and surrounding communities.

NWS Hanford expects snow to start falling Wednesday at elevations of 9,000 feet and above , then drop to 8,000 feet on New Year’s Day.

“There is a high probability (70-80%) that many locations in the mountains from Yosemite (National Park) to the Frazier Park area will see at least 0.50 inch by New Year`s Day” NWS Hanford said in its Tuesday forecast discussion.

A total of a half-inch of rain is forecast for the Valley floor Wednesday through Friday. There is also the possibility of light showers lingering over the weekend.

Through Monday night, Fresno had received 6.06 inches of rain during the 2025-26 water season, which ends Sept. 30. That is 197% of normal to date.

Patchy dense fog is expected to continue Tuesday night into Wednesday morning throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

Tragedy at Mammoth Mountain

Cole Murphy, 30, a ski patroller at Mammoth Mountain, died Sunday, the ski resort announced Sunday. Murphy was injured in an avalanche on Friday.

Mammoth was closed Friday and Saturday but opened on Sunday.

It was the second ski patrol death at Mammoth in 2025. In February, 25-year-old Claire Murphy (no relation to Cole Murphy) died from injuries sustained while on avalanche patrol.