The snowpack covering California's mountains is off to one of its best starts in 40 years, officials said Tuesday, raising hopes that the drought-stricken state could soon see relief in the spring when the snow melts and begins to refill parched reservoirs.
But a good start doesn't guarantee a good finish. Last year, the statewide snowpack was at 160% of average at the first survey. What followed where the three driest months ever recorded in California. By April 1 - when the Sierra snowpack is supposed to be at its peak - the snow was just 38% of historic average.
In Southern California, weather forecasters said "all systems go" for a major storm to sweep over the area Wednesday and Thursday, with peak intensity occurring from midnight to noon Thursday. As California braced for more wet days ahead, heavy snow and freezing rain dumped on the upper Midwest on Tuesday, prompting the closure of the Sioux Falls Regional Airport in South Dakota and closing parts of Interstates 90 and 29. Meanwhile, heavy rain and thunderstorms threatened to cause flash flooding in Mississippi.The storms in California still aren't enough to officially end the drought, now entering its fourth year. The U.S.
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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California snowpack off to great start amid severe droughtSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The snowpack covering California's mountains is off to one of its best starts in 40 years, officials announced Tuesday, raising hopes that the drought-stricken state could soon see relief in the spring when the snow melts and begins to refill parched reservoirs.
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California snowpack off to great start amid severe drought“While we see a terrific snowpack — and that in and of itself may be an opportunity to breathe a sigh of relief — we are by no means out of the woods when it comes to drought,” said Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources.
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California Snowpack Off to Great Start Amid Severe DroughtSnowpack in California’s mountains is off to one of its best starts in 40 years. State officials said Tuesday that the statewide snow depth is 174% of the historical average this year. Much of that is because of a spate of recent storms that have dumped snow in the Sierra Nevada. Even more snow is expected later this week and over the weekend. But state officials cautioned that the recent weather isn’t enough by itself to end the drought. The past three years in California have been the driest ever recorded dating back to 1896. Many more storms will be needed to officially end the drought.
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