Ever since a monster El Nino was detected in the Pacific last year, Californians have been anxiously waiting for it to dump torrents of rain on the drought-scarred land. Now, after weeks of frustration, it appears that those expectations will be met.
March, the tail end of California’s traditional wet season, is shaping up to be a soaker. A shift in atmospheric patterns is sending high pressure into the eastern U.S., raising temperatures there while opening the door to an El Nino-fueled train of large, wet storms in the West. While the downpours are unlikely to end California’s drought, they’re poised to push reservoirs higher.
