LOS ANGELES: A powerful winter storm battered the western United States on Monday (Dec 27), dumping much-needed snow on the drought-parched mountains of California, but causing travel misery over a wide area.
Three feet (1m) of snow had fallen in 24 hours on parts of the Sierra Nevada range, taking December’s total to a record-breaking 16 ft (5m), and bolstering the badly depleted snowpack that feeds the region’s reservoirs.
“We were definitely not expecting a wet winter,” said Dr Andrew Schwartz, lead scientist at the Central Sierra Nevada Snow Laboratory at UC Berkeley, California.
“It just so happens that we ended up with a lot more snow this year than we expected, which is a pleasant surprise, of course,” Schwartz told AFP.
The US west has suffered years of pitiful rainfall, leaving vast swaths of the countryside parched and vulnerable to wildfire.
It is too soon to declare the drought over, said Schwartz, but “it looks like the western United States is getting some help”.
The immediate impact of the storm was less positive, with tens of thousands of people experiencing electricity outages and roads blocked.
Pacific Gas and Electric reported power lines had been felled by the fierce weather, with more still to come.
“Winter storm system forecasted to bring more snow, rain and wind – electric and vegetation crews have restored service to nearly 50k customers since Christmas morning and are prepared to respond to potential outages ahead,” the utility said on social media.
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