The snowpack provides about a third of the water used each year in California, which is home to 39 million people and grows much of the country's fresh fruit and vegetables. The state has built a complex system of canals and dams to capture and store the water in reservoirs for the hot, dry months when it doesn’t rain or snow.

The California Department of Water Resource's monthly snow survey on Friday showed accumulation at 90% of average, with storms forecast to bring more precipitation next week.

At 90% of the state historical average, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is far better than last year. But it’s nothing like the record-smashing 2023.