Publication Date April 4, 2016 | AccuWeather

El Nino-Induced Snow Proves to be 'Disappointing' for Drought-Stricken California

United States
Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program for the Department of Water Resources, leaves the snow covered meadow after conducting the snow survey at Phillips Station near Echo Summit, Calif., Wednesday, March 30, 2016. Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, AP
Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program for the Department of Water Resources, leaves the snow covered meadow after conducting the snow survey at Phillips Station near Echo Summit, Calif., Wednesday, March 30, 2016. Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, AP

Much-needed mountain snow and rain returned to California this winter, but fell short of expectations amid a super El Niño. The official snow season for California's Sierra Nevada came to an end at the start of April on a below-normal note and one that AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Ken Clark called "disappointing."