California Drought: Rain is in the Forecast, But It’s Not Enough

Rain is coming…but it won’t be enough to make a dent in California’s extreme drought conditions.

Weather forecasters are predicting that Northern California could receive some rainfall this week, but analysts say it will be unlikely to have a real impact on aiding the state’s ongoing drought woes.

According to the National Weather Service, two weather systems are expected to roll in – one on Wednesday evening and one on Friday. The storms could bring several inches of rain to the coast.

The state is dealing with what looks to be the driest year on record. Government officials say that every part of the state is experiencing some degree of drought, most notably the state’s agriculture regions.

What’s more concerning is that February tends to be the wettest month for California, which means the state is still well below average precipitation expectations for the month.  

Despite the gloom, there is a glimmer of hope - some experts are predicting that the chance of an El Niño event occurring this summer is growing. If that does happen, it could bring heavy rainfall to the state.
 

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