Snowpack in California’s mountains is off to one of its best starts in 40 years. State officials say the statewide snow depth is 174% of the historical average this year.
That storm was warmer, so it brought more rain than snow. Two more powerful storms are expected to hit the state this week, and these will be much colder. The National Weather Service says the mountains could get up to 5 feet of snow between the two storms.
Strong winds will add to impressive storm dynamics “setting the stage for a massive rainfall event” across south-facing coastal mountains, especially the Santa Ynez range in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, forecasters said. The storms in California still aren't enough to officially end the drought, now entering its fourth year. The U.S. Drought Monitor showed that most of the state is in severe to extreme drought. Most of the state's reservoirs are still well below their capacity, with Lake Shasta 34% full and Lake Oroville just 38% full. It takes even longer for underground aquifers to refill, with groundwater providing about 38% of the state's water supply each year.
The National Weather Service is predicting up to 6 inches of rain in San Francisco with winds of speeds up to 30 mph with gusts of 60 mph .
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