California's snowpack is more than two-and-a-half times larger than average this year and as the weather gets warmer it's going to melt. Now, that could be good or bad news.
The state's Department of Water Resources says the state's snowpack broke records this year. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor update shows almost two-thirds of the state is drought-free, a huge improvement over the past few months.
Geologist Dr. Pat Abbott says the snow can be a valuable shield against wildfires but only if it melts slowly.
"Plants stay healthy longer, they're hydrated and it's longer for them to catch on fire. If we have a massive heat wave, say in early June, and all that snow is melted and gone, the plants don't get more water and start drying out. By the time we get to the end of the summer it's easier for them to ignite, the bigger the fires are, the greater the challenge is for our firefighters."
A quick melt can also overwhelm places near the Sierra Nevada that got more rain than they could handle this winter.
Places like Tulare Lake which was dry for years until this winter. Now it's a hundred square miles in size and flooding communities around it.
The area is expecting even more flooding when the snowpack melts.
