Publication Date January 3, 2017 | Los Angeles Times

After six years of drought, this is the winter weather we're 'supposed to be getting,' meteorologists say

United States

The slow but steady improvement in California’s drought picture should accelerate in the new year with a series of storms that are expected to dump rain and snow in Northern California.

The northern half of the state has already seen impressive rains this fall and winter, filling reservoirs and replenishing the Sierra snowpack, a key source of water for California cities and farmlands.

A storm system is expected to bring rain and snow throughout the week in Northern California, and a foot of snow is expected Tuesday in the Sierra Nevada and another foot or two is predicted for Wednesday, said Johnnie Powell, a weather forecaster with the National Weather Service. “This is what we’re supposed to be getting,” Powell said. “After six years of a drought, I love saying that. This is normal rain and snow that we’re supposed to be getting in December and January.”