California's weather turned largely dry in January and has left the water content of the Sierra Nevada snowpack below average for this time of year.
The state Department of Water Resources says measurements Thursday show the statewide water content at 72% of average for the date.
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At the beginning of January, the snow water content was 90% of average following a stormy December that gave the mountain range a promising start to the snowpack, which supplies about 30% of the state's water.
Officials say the long-range weather outlook is tending toward dryness, but they note that reservoir storage is in good shape after a very wet 2019.