Publication Date March 5, 2016 | AP

Rain, snow blanket California, easing drought fears

United States
Successive storms bringing rain and snow this weekend could considerably ease California's ongoing fears of drought, according to the National Weather Service. Here, San Francisco pedestrians rely on umbrellas to stay dry. Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP
Successive storms bringing rain and snow this weekend could considerably ease California's ongoing fears of drought, according to the National Weather Service. Here, San Francisco pedestrians rely on umbrellas to stay dry. Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP

Steady rain fell in Northern California and fresh snow blanketed the Sierra Nevada as the first of several powerful storms expected to slam Western states this weekend made its way inland Saturday, ending a dry spell and raising hopes the drought-stricken state can get much needed precipitation