The rainy weather has helped, but the state’s still in deficit for the year

California’s water supply is in better shape after this weekend’s storms and the wet weather earlier in the month (though the parking lot at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach is in worse shape). The water content of California’s snowpack is hovering around fifty percent of what’s considered “normal” for this time of year — not quite cause for celebration but much better than it had been; on February 28, the date of the most recent manual snow survey, water content was only 30% of normal.

So this winter isn’t going to be the driest on record, or even the second-driest, but it’s bound to be on the dry side, regardless of what happens now. It’s just too late in the year to catch up, even with more storms heading our way this week.

So far, Northern California’s had more precipitation than the Southland but the National Weather Service is forecasting more widespread rain and snow beginning tonight.

Most of the state’s reservoirs are near normal levels for this time of year — some are even above normal — thanks to the very wet winter last year.

The upcoming “April 1st” snow survey (actually scheduled for next Monday, the 2nd), is closely watched, as this is the time when the Sierra snowpack generally reaches its peak.