The Department of Water Resources snow survey released Tuesday showed a snow water equivalence of six inches, 5.3 inches less than average for early January.
The early January snow water equivalence is usually 11.3 inches as measured at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada range since 1964.
California has had historic drought conditions for the past five years.
"We still have three historically wet months ahead of us," State Climatologist Mike Anderson said in a press release, "so there's still time for the snowpack to build and improve before it begins to melt, which usually starts happening around April 1."
Electronic snowpack readings and water conditions can be found online.
