snowpack

noun

snow·​pack ˈsnō-ˌpak How to pronounce snowpack (audio)
: a seasonal accumulation of slow-melting packed snow

Examples of snowpack in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web According to the Desert Research Institute, those particles allow more snowflakes to quickly form inside storm clouds, increasing snowpack and streamflow. The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024 The recent rain and snowpack have filled the the DWP’s reservoirs in the region and will allow the aqueduct to meet approximately 70% of the city’s water demand. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024 The snowpack at Phillips Station, located west of Lake Tahoe, recorded 64 inches of snow last week during a snow survey by the state water agency. Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 10 Apr. 2024 And a Bay Area News Group analysis last year found that the average Sierra snowpack dropped several inches since the 1950s as the climate has warmed. Scooty Nickerson, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024 Even if El Nino had brought an increase in rain, which is some help, the loss of snowpack has more of an impact. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024 The blizzard was yet another late-season shot in the arm for California’s snowpack, a vital part of the state’s water supply. Julie Watson, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 Finally, and perhaps most important, hotter temperatures will cause the snowpack to melt more rapidly, causing two opposite problems. Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024 Gavin Newsom surveys California snowpack, unveiling water plan for an uncertain future, via Ari Plachta. Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'snowpack.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snowpack was circa 1946

Dictionary Entries Near snowpack

Cite this Entry

“Snowpack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snowpack. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

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