The weather was very strange today. Cloudy this morning, then raining cats and dogs and now, clear skies and sunshine.

This is the good part of the drought for sure. Those pictures are beautiful. As a rafter I look forward to the coffers filling (upstream dams), but remember that we receive absolutely no rain during the summer months. Last I read about a week ago, we were still almost 8 inches behind average rainfall numbers which is a bad sign for the grueling summer. We will see how grim the situation actually is in September when the water levels at Folsom dam tell the true story.

Yes, all that water is on the way to LA and Central Valley farmers, so--still a drought. If it had rained like this in November and December it might have helped more, and it's possible the spring will be wet, I suppose. If you're going to fill up one of those free-standing pools I suggest doing it now, before it's banned.

They tell me slow melting snow is what we really need, nice pictures!! I understand the Global Warming summitt on the East coast, was hit by major snow storms and blizzard conditions!

Nice pictures David. Maybe the determining factor of drought or no drought is the water level marks on the side of the pyramid building. LOL... Or using the "D" word gives way to a new tax somewhere.

Just to be clear: I KNOW this doesn't end the drought, that we're three years into it and a month of rain won't fix it. I'm just celebrating a) the good humor of pouring rain during a drought (counterintuitive) and b) the relief that it won't be quite as bad as it might have been had it NOT rained for the last two weeks.

I get it that you get it, but wow, it's amazing how many people don't get it. At news10 website a survey said most people are NOT doing anything to save water. At Sac Bee website, most commenters are spewing vitriol about the drought being a pinko plot, "cuz, see! it's raining!" Big gap in public understanding.

it's a short-term-minded world we live in.

David, your photos are lovely. What you are seeing is mostly a reflection of the development in Sacramento. The places where the water could have soaked into the ground are now covered with pavement and houses. It flows into the drains and dumps directly into the river. The upstream dams are letting some water through, but most of it is being held for future use.

The interesting part of all of this is that we are concerned about building the levees higher and wider while the silting continues to build up the bottom and development continues to add water to the river. Perhaps another view of the problem is in order.... Your wonderful photos are a beautiful place to start in starting that discussion.

Food! its about getting water to our orchards and our crops! Everyone needs to conserve and treat clean water like a pawnshop treats gold.

We will be seeing almond orchards dry up and die if we dont get a handle on this. Perhaps a silver lining in all of this is people will stop wasting in this down turn. Suburbia sprawl will come to a standstill and people will be forced to live and share with one another.