SAN JOSE, Calif. — The California snowpack is the largest the state has seen at this time of year in over two decades, as yet another atmospheric river is forecast to dump several feet of additional snow in parts of the Sierra by Monday morning.
In the wake of all this fresh snow, experts are expressing increasing optimism that the drought conditions which have gripped the Golden State for three years could meaningfully ease by the end of the snowy season.
“The fact that we’re continuing to get this precipitation is just absolutely fantastic,” said Andrew Schwartz lead scientist at the University of California, Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Laboratory near Donner Summit. “It’s still unlikely that we’re going to get completely out of this drought in single year. But if the storm door stays open ... we can put a serious dent in it.”
