NOAA forecasts wetter winter for Southern California as reservoirs near full

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center has issued seasonal precipitation outlooks that show an increased likelihood of above-average rainfall in Southern California beginning in November and lasting through early summer. This comes as a strengthening El Niño shapes weather across the Pacific. Meanwhile, the California Department of Water Resources notes that Castaic Lake sits at 95 percent capacity, Lake Casitas at 95 percent, and Diamond Valley Reservoir at 97 percent, all well above their seasonal averages.

To accommodate incoming storms, officials routinely draw down reservoir levels each winter, a practice aimed at preventing overflow and supporting downstream flows. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California emphasizes monitoring the situation and maximizing groundwater storage alongside surface reservoirs. These combined factors highlight both the potential benefit of a wet season and the logistical challenges of managing already-full water storage systems.