Storms Won't Solve California Drought, But They're Welcome Anyway

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A wave of storms is making its way through Northern California, but all of this moisture won't solve the current drought situation.

The drought has ruled headlines and prompted stark warnings about cutting back and preparing for the worst.

"We've been needing a lot of water," said Wayne Leathers. "Need to be able to flush the toilets."

But how much will one storm help?

"The truth of the matter is we are still in a very serious situation," said Brooke Bingaman with the National Weather Service. "It's very dry and there's a lot that we need to make up for."

She says the upcoming storm over the Sierra won't all go into reservoirs like Lake Oroville and Shasta Lake. Of the 8 inches of liquid precipitation possible in the next few days, half of that will be absorbed by the ground.

But the other half will run off into reservoirs that millions of people depend on for their water.

As far as the long-term outlook of the drought, more wet weather is needed.

Bingaman says it's been so dry in the past few months that seeing anything on the radar is good news.

"At this point, every single rain drop, every single snow flake is a step in the right direction," she said.