California snowpack off to great start amid severe drought

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Snowpack 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.