Californians eager for sunnier days after relentless winter

By STEFANIE DAZIO and GREGORY BULL
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — With spring now underway, California’s 39 million residents are hopeful for sunnier days ahead. But this week’s atmospheric river had other plans. It’s the 12th such storm here since late December. Atmospheric rivers are powerful systems that dump huge amounts of rain and snow as they bring massive plumes of Pacific moisture into the state. Californians initially welcomed the precipitation and chilly temperatures after a record-hot summer and yearslong drought that included the driest January through March on record in 2022. But record-breaking rain and snow are hurting businesses and exhausting residents across the state with no end in sight.