<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/sierra-snow-1-mirkobuholzer-instagram.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0" srcset="https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/sierra-snow-1-mirkobuholzer-instagram.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 400w, https://dsx.weather.com//util/image/w/sierra-snow-1-mirkobuholzer-instagram.jpg?v=ap&w=980&h=551&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 800w" > 1 of 9 Sierra Nevada snow on March 13, 2016. (Mirko Buholzer/Instagram)

California's Sierra Nevada has made big snowpack gains during the last 10 days thanks to a strong jet stream that has funneled copious amounts of Pacific moisture into the mountain range.

With the jet stream tapping into a so-called "atmospheric river" at times, snowfall totals have been measured in feet across the highest elevations. For example, Sugar Bowl Ski Resort has seen an estimated 10+ feet of snow at its summit (elevation 8,383 feet) since March 5. A total of 59 inches was estimated to have fallen March 5-7. This was then followed by an estimate of an additional 66 inches from the latest round of snow to hit the summit from late last week to 7 a.m. PDT Monday. That brings the estimated total there over a span of about 10 days to 125 inches.

(MORE: What is an Atmospheric River?)

The return to a snowier weather pattern during the first half of March has been a welcome sight, not only to ease the multi-year drought but also for ski resorts in the region. Photos from ski areas near Lake Tahoe, like the ones above, show snow piled deep, a sight that was nonexistent this time a year ago.

As the comparison below illustrates, the deep snowpack has become much more widespread from March 4 (left) to March 14 (right). This is shown in the pink shadings which represent snow depths of 98 inches or greater, according to the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC).

<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://s.w-x.co/snow-sierra-compare.jpg" srcset="https://s.w-x.co/snow-sierra-compare.jpg 400w, https://s.w-x.co/snow-sierra-compare.jpg 800w" > Left image is the Sierra snowpack on March 4, 2016 just prior to when the stormy weather pattern arrived. On the right is the snowpack as of March 14, 2016 illustrating a more widespread area of deeper snowpack in pink. (NOAA) (NOAA)

We can quantify the snowpack gains made in the Sierra during the past 10 days using what is called snow water equivalent. This is how much water the snowpack would contain if it was melted down instantaneously and is used to measure the snowpack in the Sierra and other mountainous areas. Roughly one-third of California's drinking water comes from the Sierra snowpack, which after melting later in the spring and summer replenishes the state's reservoirs.

The snow water equivalent in the northern Sierra is now 102 percent of the average to date for March 14, according to the California Department of Water Resources. This is up from 82 percent on March 4, which is an overall increase of 20 percent. A similar gain was made in the central Sierra which saw its snow water equivalent rise from 81 percent of average on March 4 to 94 percent of average as of March 14. The southern Sierra saw its March 14 snow water equivalent increase to 81 percent of average as of March 14 after starting the month around 70 percent of average.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: California Flooding Photos (Jan. 2016)