Rain, snow forecast for California
Much-needed precipitation could also cause mudslides, flooding
California could finally see much-needed rain and snow this winter, but the drought-ravaged state may also have to deal with the potentially damaging effects of upcoming storms, according to an AccuWeather seasonal forecast released Wednesday.
The current El Nino weather event “will help to set up a pattern of rain and snow for California,” the forecast says.
While El Nino conditions — warmer water temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean — do not necessarily guarantee more rainfall than usual, they can sometimes set the table for powerful storms, such as those seen during the 1997-1998 El Nino.
However, the winter could be a mixed bag for
the Golden State.
Portions of the state have been ravaged by wildfires this year. Northern California has been hit especially hard.
Mudslides are always a concern when rain falls on burn areas, and flooding is a risk, as well.
One piece of good news is that the 2015-2016 season could bring triple the amount of snow that dusted mountains in Central and Northern California last year, according to the AccuWeather report.
Those snowpacks are vital for refilling reservoirs and quenching the state’s water needs.
But even a good amount of rain and snow likely won’t be enough to pull California out of the depths of its years-long drought, according to Paul Pastelok, an AccuWeather Expert Long-Range Forecaster.
“Will it be enough? I think we need a couple of these kinds of years, and I’m not sure we’re going to get that,” Pastelok said.