This is the first December in five years that researchers are predicting above average precipitation in California. The prediction is for the first three months of the year.
Steve Baxter, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said the extra wet weather is good news for a region that is suffering from a punishing four-year long drought. However, he said the drought will not be over in 2015.
"This is climatologically a wet period for California and so a one, or possibly a two, category improvement in the drought is possible. It's actually likely over the next few months," Baxter said.
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Baxter said the recent rainfall has already improved drought conditions around California.
The extra precipitation is also widely expected to boost the snow pack in California, even though the predicted average temperature this winter will be higher than normal.
"Snow levels are not expected on average, to be lower than normal," Baxter said. "However, with enhanced precipitation, even though there's a tilt toward above normal temperatures in California, this would still favor a build-up of the snow pack."
Baxter said the news is important because the snow pack is essentially California's largest reservoir.
