Snowfall totals in South Lake Tahoe already surpass winter of 2014

While the storms hitting the Sierra this December are not unusual, they are very different from recent winters.

As of Christmas Day, 2015, all South Lake Tahoe ski resorts are reporting more snow than they had during the whole 2014 ski season.

Heavenly Valley - 167" of snow in November and December, to date; 87" last season.

According to OpenSnow.com, the North Shore resorts are slightly behind last year's season totals. Squaw Valley's 183" so far in the 2015 season is under the 223" received in the 2014 winter, as is Alpine Meadows' 172" (208" in 2014) and Diamond Peak at 112" (120" in 2014).

The snowpack is looking good so far since electronic readings on December 23 show its statewide water content is 9.3 inches, which is 112 percent of average. State water officials will be at Philips on Wednesday to take the first snow survey of winter.