It's official: Wettest winter on record for Northern California

Those who live in the Sierra know its been a wet and snowy winter, but now the record books support what they've experienced over the past six months: It is now the wettest winter on record in the Northern California mountains.

Precipitation measured at eight stations from Lake Tahoe to Mt. Shasta surpassed to old record held for 35 years. In that winter of 1982-1983 there was 88.5 inches of of precipitation measured at the same eight station. Today's measurement was 89.7 inches.

California Governor Jerry Brown officially declared an end to California's drought emergency, though some areas in Southern California are still experiencing dry conditions and a drought.

There is more snow and rain in the Sierra today, as well as more in the ten-day forecast.

Lake Tahoe is near the maximum limit, prompting water officials to release water at the dam in Tahoe City and fill the Truckee River which carries water to Reno and Pyramid Lake. The natural rim is at an elevation of 6,223 feet, and the elevation of the lake was six inches below this in October of 2016. Today it is 6227.57 feet, over 4.5 feet above the natural rim.

An elevation of 6,229.1 is the maximum amount of water that can be held in Lake Tahoe. The lake hasn't reached the storage limit since 2006.

With several feet of snow in the mountains around Lake Tahoe there is still a lot of runoff to hit lakes and rivers.