Quote:
Originally Posted by gregpark
We also need snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains this winter. The run off provides a big percentage of municipal water.
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The melting Sierra snow will typically provide for about 30% of CA's water needs. This runoff is used to help replenish reservoirs and recharge groundwater aquifers in the Central Valley. Farmers in the Valley depend on this water source for irrigation, since there's no rainfall at all during the long dry summer months.
It's pretty unusual to get such a strong storm so early in the rainy season. An "atmospheric river" dumping this much water is more common in December thru March.
We're off to a good start with some much-needed rain here, with about 6" around the Monterey Bay since Thursday.