The rain and snow hitting California this week — partly fueled by an El Niño now tied with the strongest on record — will put a dent in the state’s 5-year-old drought, but there’s a catch.

 

“This week’s storms will help but will not end drought conditions in California,” said Michael Anderson, the state climatologist. The heavy rain brings a double-edged sword: the likelihood of floods and landslides in parts of the state, 97.3% of which is experiencing drought.