California snowpack far below normal after dry winter months

By JOHN ANTCZAK
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Drought-stricken California’s winter mountain snowpack is far below average after two historically dry months that reversed gains from storms late last year. State water officials renewed calls for conservation Tuesday as the latest measurements were taken. Water content of the statewide snowpack is just 63% of normal to date and the snowmelt forecast is just 66% of average. Department of Water Resources snow survey manager Sean de Guzman says that’s not enough to fill up already low reservoirs, and without any significant storms on the horizon, California will continue into a third dry year.