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How Much Snow Did The Storm Bring To Southern California Mountains?

At local mountains, where snowfall was plentiful at the start of the week, raindrops started falling from the sky Thursday. It’s not the best news for those planning on hitting the slopes, as the rain turns the snow to mush. But there’s a bright side to all this wet stuff: For lakes that have suffered from low levels in recent years, it means reservoirs are filling up. Around the state, snowpacks are near normal levels and local rain totals have surpassed what’s expected this time of year. And when the rainstorms move out and blue skies replace the clouds starting Friday, it could be a great weekend for a snowy holiday getaway.

Gloria Gray Makes History Again!

Gloria D. Gray has added another “first” to her extensive public service career, as she becomes the first African American elected to chair the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California. Her two-year term, which began Jan. 1, marks only the second time that a woman has led the 90-year-old agency that, together with its member agencies, delivers water to 300 cities and unincorporated areas in Southern California.

Strong Winter Storm To Bring Heavy Rain To San Diego County

A final round of precipitation, possibly the heaviest of the week, is expected in San Diego County Thursday along with high winds in the mountains and high surf at the beaches. As of 9 p.m. Wednesday, the wet weather over the past four days had brought the least rain to San Ysidro — at 0.63 of an inch — while Julian received the brunt of the storms — with 2.24 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Along the coast, Oceanside received 1.35 inches over the four-day span while Brown Field airport in Otay Mesa got 0.65 of an inch, Carlsbad received 0.88 of an inch and the San Diego International Airport was doused by 0.67 of an inch.

What Happens If Arizona Fails To Meet A Water Plan Deadline?

Lake Mead, the biggest source for water in the Southwest, is on the verge of reaching a critically low level. Gov. Doug Ducey said, “this is by far the most pressing issue we face as a state.” Arizona is facing a deadline to come up with a plan to conserve Colorado River water feeding Lake Mead. That deadline is two weeks away on Jan. 31 and the governor and legislature are running out of time.

Robust Storm Fueled By Atmospheric River Bears Down On SoCal

Southern California faces a third consecutive day of rain as another Pacific storm fueled by a conveyor belt of moisture bears down on the West Coast. This round is expected to bring widespread rainfall and the threat of mudslides as more moisture is added to already soaked hillsides in the region’s wildfire burn areas. Residents in parts of Malibu, Burbank, and Ventura and Santa Barbara counties were under evacuation orders.

Don’t Believe Your Windshield Wipers: Despite Storms, Southern California Water Conservation Is Still Needed

As rain continues to pelt Southern California, signs of an abundance of or even too much water are everywhere: Roads are flooded, reservoirs are filling and the wait time for Radiator Springs Racers at the damp Disneyland Resort has been less than a half hour. But as residents of burn areas evacuate and even heavier rain is forecast for Thursday, those who watch the state and local water supplies note that while the drought is technically over, the need to conserve water is not.

OPINION: Part-time Sweetwater Authority Board Members Don’t Deserve Costly Insurance Perk

Board members with local water agencies — often politicians or politically connected people — don’t always bring a lot of relevant expertise to the job. They generally meet no more than a few times a month, basically to bless staff recommendations. They do not have demanding positions. Against this backdrop, the recent 6-1 vote by members of the Sweetwater Authority board to give themselves access to heavily subsidized health insurance for their dependents is a pathetic and cynical act. The authority, which serves 190,000 people in National City, Bonita and parts of Chula Vista, approved significant rate hikes last year despite public criticism of compensation practices that provide authority workers with average salary and benefits of $176,000.

OPINION: Newsom’s Picks For Environmental Protection And Water Chiefs Will Reveal His Priorities

One of the keys to former Gov. Jerry Brown’s success as California’s chief executive over the past eight years was the stellar group of individuals he recruited as his top environmental and water officials. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s initial, senior environmental appointments suggest that he is wisely following in Brown’s footsteps. Californians can only hope his water leadership team turns out to be equally strong. Newsom’s first two environmental appointments are his most important, and his choices are impressive indeed.

El Nino, A No-Show So Far, Losing Steam

The weather has yet to be influenced this winter by a warmer Pacific Ocean and likely won’t be impacted in a major way, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports. Federal climatologists reduced the chances that an El Nino will form in January or February to 82 percent, down from 96 percent a month ago. If an El Nino does occur, it will be weak, according to NOAA. “Significant global impacts are not anticipated during the remainder of the winter, even if conditions were to form,” the agency stated, in its monthly outlook on sea-surface temperatures along the equator.

San Diego Again Gets Drenched By Overnight Rains, And There’s More Coming Tonight

For the second time this week, drenching rains spread across San Diego County during the overnight hours. And it will happen again late this evening and early Thursday, says the National Weather Service. So far, the rainfall has been impressive, in a cumulative sense. Since early Monday, parts of San Diego have received more than two inches of rain, including Palomar Observatory, which got 2.87 inches, Henshaw Dam, which got 2.25 inches, and Julian, which got 2.16 inches. San Onofre received 1.63 inches.