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California has been hit with a series of powerful storms that began late last month.
從上月底開始，加州遭受了一系列強風暴的襲擊。
The storms have brought the state an extreme amount of rainfall.
風暴給該州帶來了極大的降雨量。
More than 17 people have died from the storms and over half of California’s 58 counties have been declared disaster areas, the governor said.
該州州長說，超過17人死于風暴，加州58個縣中超過一半已被宣布為災區。
There are even more storms expected in the coming days.
預計未來幾天還會有更多風暴。
California has also experienced a multi-year drought.
加州也經歷了多年的干旱。
The extreme dry period has severely cut water supplies and forced officials to urge residents to save water.
極端干旱嚴重減少了供水量，迫使官員敦促居民節約用水。
Experts say the series of storms will help drought conditions, but it is not yet clear exactly how much.
專家表示，這一系列風暴將會有助于緩解干旱，但目前還不清楚具體程度。
However, the rain and snow will not be enough to fix some of California’s long-term water problems that climate change is making worse.
然而，雨雪不足以解決加州長期存在的一些用水問題，氣候變化正在加劇這些問題。
Here is a look at how the storms will affect California’s long struggle with drought:
以下是風暴將會如何影響加州長期存在的干旱情況：
California has experienced six so-called atmospheric rivers in recent weeks.
最近幾周，加州經歷了六條所謂的大氣層河流。
Atmospheric rivers are narrow areas in the atmosphere with a lot of moisture.
大氣層河流指的是大氣中含有大量水分的狹窄區域。
Three more are expected, with the storms set to continue for at least another week, Governor Gavin Newsom said Tuesday.
州長加文·紐森周二表示，預計還會有三場風暴，風暴將會再持續至少一周。
The rain has come especially hard in central California, including the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento Valley.
加州中部的降雨尤其嚴重，包括舊金山灣區和薩克拉門托的山谷地區。
Rainfall is 138 percent higher than the average for this time of year, officials said.
官員們表示，今年的降雨量比往年同期的平均降雨量高出138%。
The storms have also brought snow to the Sierra Nevada Mountains along California’s eastern border.
風暴還給加利福尼亞州東部邊境的內華達山脈帶來了降雪。
Most of the state's reservoirs remain below average for this time of year.
在每年的這個時候，該州的大多數水庫含水量仍低于平均水平。
But some have begun to fill, especially those close to the hard-hit Sacramento area and along parts of the Sierra Nevada.
但有些水庫已經開始填滿，尤其是那些靠近重災區薩克拉門托地區和內華達山脈部分地區的地方。
The reservoirs are important for supplying water to the Central Valley.
這些水庫對中央谷地的供水很重要。
That is an area of farmland that grows large amounts of fruits, nuts and grains.
這是一片種植大量水果、堅果和谷物的農田。
The reservoirs also supply water to millions of people living in coastal cities.
這些水庫還為生活在沿海城市的數百萬人供水。
“What we’ve got so far puts us in good shape, probably for at least the next year,” said Alan Haynes.
阿蘭·海恩斯說：“到目前為止，我們的狀況很好，可能至少在明年是這樣。”
He is a water expert with the California Nevada River Forecast Center.
他是加州和內華達州河流預報中心的水資源專家。
Snowpack is its own type of reservoir.
積雪場本身就是一種水庫。
Snow saves moisture that hopefully melts slowly into reservoirs, supplying people with water during summer and fall.
雪儲存了水分，這些水分有望能慢慢融化到水庫中，在夏季和秋季為人們提供水。
But now that snowpack often melts too quickly and reservoirs are not able to capture enough of it.
但由于積雪往往融化得太快，水庫無法捕獲足夠的積雪。
It is still early in the winter and it is unclear what the next few months will bring.
現在還是初冬，未來幾個月將會發生什么尚不清楚。
Last year, statewide snowpack around this time also looked hopeful.
去年這個時候，全州范圍內的積雪看起來也很有希望。
But a few warm, dry months followed.
但接下來的幾個月里，天氣溫暖干燥。
When snowpack was supposed to peak in early April, it was just 38 percent of the historic average.
當積雪應該在4月初達到峰值時，只有歷史平均水平的38%。
Also, the storms have not dropped as much water on northern California.
此外，風暴也沒有給加州北部帶來那么多的降水。
A reservoir at Lake Shasta that was at 55 percent of its historical average on December 25 had risen to 67 percent by January 9.
沙斯塔湖的一個水庫的水位在12月25日達到歷史平均水平的55%，到1月9日已經上升到67%。
It is better, but still well below historical averages, Haynes said.
海恩斯說，情況有所好轉，但仍遠低于歷史平均水平。
The atmospheric rivers are not hitting everywhere.
大氣層河流并沒有沖擊所有地方。
David Gochis is an expert in how water affects the weather at the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
大衛·戈奇斯是美國國家大氣研究中心研究水如何影響天氣的專家。
For some of the biggest reservoirs, it may take five or six large rainfall events to fill them, he said.
他說，對于一些最大的水庫來說，可能需要五到六次大降雨才能填滿它們。
Many farmers in California pump water from underground.
加州的許多農民從地下抽水。
Some wells are running dry.
一些水井正在干涸。
It is something that is not going to be solved by a short-term series of storms, experts said.
專家表示，這不是一系列短期風暴就能解決的問題。
And while there have been some wet years mixed in, California’s drought has been going on for about 20 years.
雖然有一些年份氣候濕潤，但加州的干旱已經持續了大約20年。
Climate change is creating drier, hotter conditions.
氣候變化正在創造更干燥、更炎熱的環境。
Water evaporates faster.
水蒸發得更快。
California officials predict there will be less water in the state’s future.
加州官員預測，未來該州的水資源將會減少。
Jeannie Jones is with the California Department of Water Resources.
珍妮·瓊斯就職于加州水利部門。
She said, “Big picture, this series of storms really is kind of just a drop in the bucket.”
她說：“總體來說，這一系列風暴真的只是杯水車薪。”
I’m Dan Novak.
丹·諾瓦克為您播報。
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