SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After months of heavy rain across California and record snow in the southern Sierra Nevada, state officials warn that melting snow could turn into flooding as the state’s skies turn sunnier this spring and summer.
The Tulare Lake and San Joaquin River basins, which already saw storm flooding this year, are of particular concern. But specific predictions remain elusive despite new forecast data, as water managers continue to crunch numbers.
What’s clear is that runoff from melting snow could surge to dangerous levels with higher than expected temperatures, particularly in Southern California. And if residents of the Golden State have come to expect anything, it’s weather that deviates from historical averages.
